The White Hand
by CrocScale
Summary: A story about a woman from Rohan named Alarain. I'm not sure where it's going, so read it and tell me what you think. Please and thank you! Aragorn/OC
1. Chapter 1

Alarain sat with her back to a tree as she gazed absently into the flames of her campfire. Glancing wearily into the dark beyond the firelight, she half expected a band of orcs to jump into the camp and take her prisoner. Brenir, her faithful hound gave her hand a lick as if trying to comfort her. It worked. Alarain lay down with a sigh before falling into an uneasy slumber.

Her dreams were of Saruman as she had seen him just days before. She had ridden too close to Isengard, and had been caught by an orc patrol. They brought her to Saruman and he had tortured her, thinking she was a spy sent by King Theoden himself. In truth, she was a woman of Rohan with no known family, little knowledge of the world, and even less with a sword. She made a living working for a horse breeder.

Before deciding that she was harmless, Saruman had burned the image of a hand onto the inside of her right forearm. Following that, he had dyed it deathly white before throwing her, bleeding and crying, out of Isengard. Upon her return to the breeder and his family, they had also thrown her out after much screaming and threatening. The White Hand of Saruman is not something the people of Rohan take lightly. She had no choice but to leave.

Brenir, being as faithful as he was, had accompanied her. Hiding the symbol of Saruman, she gathered supplies from the village, including a map, and left. Over the next few days, she made her way through the Gap of Rohan and up the North Road. She decided to head for the small town of Bree, thinking that they would surely know nothing of the White Hand there.

Alarain woke from her nightmares to find the sun peeking though the treetops and landing on her face. It lit up her copper-orange hair like the flames of a roaring bonfire. Many people wondered at her hair for it was not the usual blonde colour of her country. She got up, had a quick meal of bread with Brenir, packed the little belongings she had, and with that, she continued on her journey.

Many days passed much the same and she was glad not to have any trouble with orcs or any other forms of danger, except for pesky bugs of course. Then finally, at long last, Alarain came over hill and there before her was Bree. It was a quaint town with simple houses, but after her lonely trek here, she wasn't complaining.

Heading for the gate, she made sure to cover her arm, just in case. The guard on duty was friendly enough and let her pass with only a few questions and a couple of strange looks. It was then that she realized she must look quite silly with her unkempt hair and dirt crusted skin. Although when asked about the nearest inn, he appeared sympathetic and directed her to a place called the Prancing Pony.

Night was starting to fall when she reached the door, and loud laughing could be heard from inside. The unmistakable smell of ale reached her nose, and she sighed, g_reat, _she thought sarcastically. She reassured Brenir that she would soon return and entered the building. It was dark with only a few candles to light the entire room, but it was cozy enough. Many men sat at the tables, laughing and drinking. Alarain inquired in a room for the night, and after handing over some coins, soon found herself being handed a key.

After a quick and cheap meal, she decided to retire for the night, hoping to escape the noise. Alarain headed up the small staircase and found herself in a hallway. However, she did not escape the noise, for she could still hear laughter from behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw three men stumbling drunkenly down the hall towards her. Picking up speed, she turned a corner hoping to find her room, but was only met with a dead end. She spun around, but was cut off by the drunks.

"Hey, 'hic' look what we 'hic' have here 'hic' Bill!' the man on the right said to the one in the middle.

"Looksh to meh like we gotta losht liddle lady." Bill replied with an evil grin.

Alarain glared at him. "I'm not lost. Now get out of my way, my friends are looking for me." she lied.

"Yeah right! You came in alone and haven't said a word to anyone!" the third man, who appeared to be much less drunk than the others, smirked.

Before she could protest, Bill grabbed her, flung her into a room and the two others closed the door. She hit the floor hard and was temporarily stunned before she pulled out her dagger and lept to her feet. Bill easily whacked it out of her hand, but not before it scraped his wrist. He cursed loudly and grabbed her arm. With his other hand he slapped her across the face. She cried out in pain and her vision went black briefly, but that didn't stop him. He hit her again and all the while, the other two just looked on and laughed. That's when Bill noticed her arm. Her sleeve had slid up and her hideous scar was revealed.

"Ha! Whath thith?" He cackled.

He was surprised that his companions didn't laugh as well, and when Alarain looked up, she saw why. Bill's friends lay seemingly dead on the floor and Bill himself had a sword at his throat.

"Leave before you suffer the same fate as your followers." the voice of this new man spoke to Bill.

With that, Bill ran. The cloaked figure watched him go before turning to Alarain. She eyed him wearily, not sure of his intentions, and with good reason, for no sooner than he turned, his sword was pressed to HER throat.

"Where does a woman dressed as a ranger get a scar like that?"

She stared at him, eyes wide with fear. With his hood up, his face was obscured in shadow, but she could still make out intense gray-green eyes staring out at her, waiting for an answer.

"Well?" he asked menacingly as his sword pressed closer. "Why does a women clothed as a man bare the White Hand of Saruman? And in such a manner as yourself?"

"Please don't kill me because of it." Alarain choked out.

The man looked slightly confused. "Because of it? What do you mean?"

"I could explain myself better if I did not have a sword to my throat." she squeaked.

He eyed her suspiciously, but lowered his hand and took a step back to give her some room. Alarain noticed that he had still not sheathed his sword as she rubbed her neck.

"Please do not hurt me. It was not my fault Saruman did this to me. I was only..."

"Wait." he interrupted. "Who did that to you?"

"Saruman."

"Saruman the White?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive, yes."

"Wait. We are speaking of the same person are we not?"

Alarain sighed. _Good grief, _she thought to herself. "There is only one wizard named Saruman the White, so... yes... we are."

The confused man's face grew troubled and he went to sit on the edge of a small table. "But Saruman has always been a trusted ally of the good people of Middle-Earth." he said, almost to himself. "Why would he do such a thing?"

"Does working with orcs and threatening the people of Rohan qualify as an ally?" she shot back.

His eyes widened at that. Suddenly, he flew up and pinned her to the wall by her arms. "How dare you make such an accusation!" he snarled.

For some reason, this did not frighten her, so much as it offended her. "How dare ME? How dare YOU!" she yelled in his face. "I have been through enough with Saruman, now only to have you prodding me with you sword and calling me a liar! I thought I would be able to escape the suspicion and un-trusting looks when I left Rohan and came here!"

He stared at her, before he carefully let her go and stepped back, seemingly afraid she would launch into another outburst if he made any sudden movements. He then sat down in a chair and appeared to be deep in thought. That's when one of the drunks on the floor twitched. The man in the chair glanced at him and then at Alarain. She was frozen with fear. She had thought they were dead!

Apparently able to hear her thoughts, the cloaked man spoke. "I only knocked them out. They will be awakening soon." With that, he got to his feet and went to the door. Turning back to her, he said, "Follow me."

Alarain hesitated.

He spoke again. "Do you WANT to still be here when they wake up?"

She sighed, made up her mind, and followed him out the door. He lead her into the hallway and around a few corners until they came to another room.

He lead her inside, closed the door and spoke. "I have decided you are to come with me to Imladris, Rivendell in the common-tongue. We are to leave within the next few days."

Alarain frowned. "Oh am I now?" she said sarcastically.

"Yes, you are. You have information that the master of Rivendell, Lord Elrond, will no doubt with to hear." he replied, seeming not to have noticed her sarcasm.

She crossed her arms and glared at him. The man watched her for a moment before asking in a slightly annoyed tone, "What is it?"

"You expect me to go along with this? I don't have the foggiest clue who this 'Lord Elrond' is, I've never heard of Rivendell, and I don't even know your name. How do you expect me to trust you?"

He crossed his own arms and frowned at her. "Fine. Stay here. I'm sure you and Bill will be very happy together." he said with a tight, mocking smile before turning to leave.

Alarain grabbed his arm. "Wait." she said, a little worried. He turned and looked down into her face. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"If you stay in this town, he is sure to find you again, and you don't want to know what he'll do to you when he does." he said darkly.

"What if I leave?" she asked, still nervous.

"He will follow you and find you."

"And he won't follow if I leave with you?" Alarain questioned.

"No. He is afraid of me. He will not admit it, but he is. Deep down, Bill Ferny is just a coward."

Alarain finally dropped her hand from his arm and looked down at the floor, letting out a shaky breath that she didn't realize she was holding. "Alright. I'll go with you." she said, giving in.

"Strider." the man said quietly.

Alarain looked up, confused.

"You wished to know my name. Around here I am known as Strider." he explained.

She half smiled. "Alarain. I am Alarain."

He gave her a smile and a polite nod before turning to go. She made to follow him but he stopped her. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I want to check on my dog. I left him outside and I want to make sure he's alright."

Strider shook his head. "It would be safer if you stayed here. I will check on him, then I must stay downstairs. I am waiting for the arrival of some certain individuals. They will be joining us on our journey to Rivendell."

"Very well." Alarain said with a sigh. "My dog is dark brown and has a thick coat. His ears stick up straight and he's missing the tip of his tail. His name is Brenir."

Strider nodded, gave her shoulder a pat and told her to get some rest. "You may need it." Then, he left silently, closing the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Alarain woke with a start as Strider burst in and flung a small boy to the floor. Kicking the door closed, he turned just in time to stop her as she jumped up to rush to the boys aid. He pushed her back down on the bed and gave her a look that froze her where she was. "Stay there." he growled through gritted teeth. Then, as Strider and the boy faced each other, she realized something. This was no boy. It was a hobbit.

She had never seen a hobbit for herself, but had heard stories of them when she was a child. She never thought them to be real!

"What do you want?" the dark haired halfling asked as he shifted under Strider's gaze.

"A little more caution from you, that is no trinket you carry." the ranger answered as he turned and made his way across the room to put out the candles. The hobbit insisted that he did not carry anything, although Alarain could easily tell that the poor thing was lying by how he would continuously blink.

"Indeed." Strider said almost sarcastically as he glanced out the window.

_So he does know what sarcasm is, _she thought as she inwardly rolled her eyes.

Strider continued, "I can avoid being seen if I wish, but to disappear entirely..." he flipped his hood back and Alarain got a look at the strange man's rugged features for the first time. "That is a rare gift." he finished.

Suddenly Alarain spoke up. "What? What is going on?" she asked, glancing between the halfling and the ranger.

The hobbit seemed to notice her for the first time. "Who are you?" he asked, including them both in his question.

Strider ignored her question as well as the hobbits and spoke again. "Are you frightened?"

"Y... yes." he admitted quietly.

"Not nearly frightened enough." Strider said, taking a few steps forward. "I know what hunts you."

Alarain jumped up to stand in front of him. "Leave him alone! Stop trying to scare him!" she said, defending the little hobbit.

Again, Strider ignored her and looked at the door as if hearing a sound. Suddenly, he shoved her back down on the bed, yet again, and unsheathed his sword as the door burst open revealing three more hobbits.

A hint of a smile appeared on Strider's lips. "You have a stout heart little hobbit." he said as he sheathed his sword. "But it will not save you." Turning back to the first halfling, he said, "You can no longer wait for the wizard Frodo." his voice then became ominous. "They are coming."

By now Alarain was very confused, but her curiosity kept her quiet. She wanted to see how this played out.

The hobbits were very suspicious of Strider, but seemed to believe him, for they let him lead everyone out of the Prancing Pony to the inn across the street. Alarain got to say a quick 'hello' to Brenir, noting that he was fine, before Strider rounded her up and ushered her inside. Alarain found that quiet comical, and it reminded her of a mother hen, watching out for all her chicks.

When he finally got everyone into their room, Strider disappeared, saying he would be back shortly. Alarain was standing at the window deep in thought when she heard someone clear their throat. Turning around, she was met by a smiling face.

"Hello! We haven't been properly introduced! My name is Peregrin Took, though my friends call me Pippin. You can call me that too if you'd like. I'd don't really care either way." said the smallest of the four. "Oh and this is Merry, Sam, and you've already met Frodo... kind of..." he continued, gesturing to the others.

"Hello milady!" the one called Merry said with a smile.

"Hello. My name is Alarain. It is very nice to meet you all." she replied, happy to have someone to talk to besides the seemingly grumpy Strider. Looking around at all the hobbits, she saw that Frodo looked worried, Sam looked suspicious, Merry looked... well... kind of merry, and Pippin looked pretty merry as well. Though there was an air of doubt hovering over them all.

"How long have you known that Strider fellow?" the one named Sam asked suddenly. They all looked at the woman with interest.

"Well, the truth is, I just met him. He... kind of... helped me out of a... situation." Just then, Alarain realized that Strider really did help her out of an bad situation. _Perhaps I should thank him when he gets back._

"So, you don't even know him?" Sam asked.

"Not really, no."

Sam looked flustered and turned to Frodo. "Mister Frodo, are you sure we should trust him?"

Everyone listened for Frodo's response. He looked around to see that all eyes were on him, waiting for his decision. Even Alarain was watching him. "I believe that we can trust him. How else would he know our names if Gandalf didn't tell him? Besides, I don't think we have a choice. We can't stay here."

"Who is Gandalf?" Alarain asked, her curiosity bubbling.

The hobbits looked at the woman as if they were trying to decided whether or not to tell her. "He's a good friend." Frodo spoke. "He told us that he would meet us here, but he never arrived." he said looking downcast.

"I'm sure he was just held up." Alarain said comfortingly. "Is he the wizard that Strider mentioned?" she asked, almost not wanting to hear the answer. After her last encounter with a wizard, she wasn't looking forward to bumping into another.

Frodo looked back up at her. "Yes, he's a wizard. Why?" he asked, noticing her nervous expression.

"I was just curious, that's all." she reassured, trying to hide her fear.

Frodo eyed her, but didn't persist. Instead, he nodded before going to sit on one of the beds. Sam joined him. Alarain wandered over to the window and looked out into the eerie dark streets of Bree. Merry and Pippin soon came to stand on either side of her to look out too.

"So, where are you from?" asked Merry with interest. Pippin turned to look up at her as well.

"I hail from the country of Rohan." she answered, feeling somewhat homesick at the thought of Rohan. She missed the open planes, the smell of grass on the breeze, and the beautiful horses. Yes she especially missed the horses.

"Really?" Pippin asked. "I heard that the people from Rohan all have golden-blonde hair."

"Most do. I don't know why I did not inherit the colour."

Pippin looked thoughtful. "Did you get it from your parents?"

"I don't know. I never met my parents." Alarain replied sadly.

Merry gave Pippin a little smack on the back of his head before apologizing. "I'm sorry Alarain. Pippin can be a bit out of it sometimes, if you know what I mean." he said as the one in question rubbed the back of his head with a guilty look on his face.

Alarain laughed. "It's alright Merry, Pippin did not offend me. I got over it a long time ago. I'm used to it now." she smiled at Pippin. "I'm fine Pippin."

He looked relieved. "So... who took care of you?" he asked a little hesitantly.

"I was taken in by an elderly couple. When I was five years old, they passed away. I was then taken in by a horse breeder and his family. I grew up to the age I am now with them"

"And how old are you now?" Pippin asked, his guilt forgotten.

Again, Merry slapped him lightly across the arm and gave him a look. "You don't ask a lady how old she is Pippin." he scolded.

"It's fine, I don't mind. I'm forty three years."

Pippin looked confused. "Really? You look young for forty three." he stated.

Before Alarain could reply, Strider entered. They looked up at him, their eyes all asked the same question. _Where were you and what were you doing?_

Frodo was the first to ask it out loud. "What's going on?" he questioned, eyes wide with anticipation.

Strider did not answer right away, but went over to look out the window beside Alarain. "Get some sleep." was all he said.

"That's no answer..." Pippin complained, earning him a hard stare from the ranger. He gulped and quickly got into bed.

There were two large beds, though the hobbits all clustered together on one of them. Probably for comforts sake.

There was silence for a while as they stood by the window, but soon the hobbits were asleep, most likely exhausted from their trip here. Strider looked down at her. "You should go to bed too." he whispered, barely loud enough for her to hear.

Alarain's imagination had carried her back to Rohan and she jumped slightly when he spoke. He gave her a questioning look. "Sorry." she whispered back, trying to shake off the jitters that had suddenly materialized.

"The hobbits are right you know." he said, looking back outside. She sent him a questioning gaze. "You do look much to young to be forty three." he remarked.

Alarain didn't know how to respond to that. "Thank... you...?" she snickered. Glancing back up at him she thought she saw a smile form on his rough face, though he didn't respond. A moment later he wandered over to a chair that sat close to the window so he could continue his lookout. He gazed out into the night, looking deep in thought.

"Go to bed Alarain." he said out of nowhere. She jumped again, but complied and gratefully sank into the comfortable mattress of the bed that wasn't occupied by the hobbits. The last thing she remembered before giving into her fatigue was seeing Strider's eyes drift over the halflings before landing on her.

The most gut wrenching, heart penetrating, wailing screech she had ever heard is what Alarain woke to some ways into the night. She bolted into a sitting position on her bed to see all four hobbits doing the same thing on theirs. They all immediately looked for Strider. He sat in the same chair he was in when she fell asleep, looking quite disturbed, but somehow at the same time, rather calm.

"What are they?" asked Frodo in a small voice, as the frightened neighing of terrified horses sounded from out in the night.

Strider turned his head. "They were once men, great king of old. Then Sauron the Deceiver gave to them nine rings of power. Blinded by their greed, they took them without question. One by one falling into darkness. Now they are slaves to his will." He paused before continuing. "They are the Nazgul. Ringwraiths. Neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the Ring. Drawn to the power of the One. They will never stop hunting you." he finished.

Alarain stared wide at the ranger in the chair. Her heart was pounding like it never had before. He turned his gaze to her, but she dropped her eyes, not wanting him to see her fear.

For the rest of the night, they all sat awake in the darkness of the night. No one dared say a word, though when dawn finally broke, Strider got them moving. The innkeeper brought them some food and they had a quick breakfast before Strider asked him about the possibility of buying some horses. Much to Alarain's disappointment the flustered man reported that all the horses and ponies were gone. Upon further questioning, Strider returned with the news of one pony still in the town. Ushering them to follow him, he made his way through the streets and alleyways, seemingly looking for something.

He paused. "Alarain. Come here." he called. Alarain walked to his side and he motioned to some barrels. "Get in one." he said.

She stared at him. "Excuse me? Why?"

He sighed, and pulled her a little ways away from the others. "The only pony in the village belongs to Bill Ferny."

Alarain's eyes widened and she stepped back from him. "What are you going to do? Stuff me in a barrel and trade me for the pony?"

Again, he sighed. "No. Of course not. I need you to hide here. I will take the hobbits, get the pony from him, and then return for you." he explained. "I need you to hide until I come find you."

She relaxed, and nodded. "Alright, but you better not take too long." she grumbled.

He laughed, "Just get in." he said, with a roll of his eyes.

Alarain gave him a strange look before climbing into the barrel. _That was uncharacteristic, _she thought to herself.


	3. Chapter 3

It was uncomfortable in the barrel, and Alarain started to get stiff after only a few minutes. She tried to stretch her limbs as far as she could in the constricting space, but that wasn't very far at all. _He couldn't have found me some stairs to hide under! He had to stuff me in a barrel!_ Deciding to get out for a moment to stretch, Alarain started to open the lid. Voices sounded from near by and she froze. Peeking out, she saw two men who looked vaguely familiar walking slowly in her direction, and nearly panicked when she realized they were Bill's friends. _They don't know I'm here. If I stay quiet they'll just walk right by. _

"If I ever find that ranger again, he'll wish he were dead!" the one who had hiccups the previous night said menacingly.

The other one laughed. "Oh sure!" he cackled. "If you ever come across him, you'll be too scared to do anything!"

The first one scowled. "What do mean by that?"

"Well, you sure didn't do anything when you saw him last night! He knocked you out before you even knew it was him!"

"He knocked you out too, you maggot!" he yelled, starting to get angry.

"I never claimed to be able to do anything about it though."

_At least that one's honest. _They were right beside Alarain's barrel now, and she trembled a little when the honest one leaned on a crate right next to her.

"He's unnatural I tell ya." he continued. "Something about him just ain't right."

_Cowards..._

"What was that?" the hiccup one asked all of a sudden. Alarain's eyes widened with fear. _Oh no! Did I say that out loud?_

The honest one looked around. "It sounded like it came from the barrels." he stated.

Her barrel suddenly felt a violent kick and she was sent flying out onto the ground. They looked at her with mean, greedy eyes. She tried to get up and run, but they advanced and kicked her down again. Looking back up at them, she saw fear suddenly grow in their eyes. They were not, however, looking at her. They then backed off abruptly and hurried away. She swung her head around to see what had them frightened, and her heart immediately calmed.

She was met by the scruffy faced, weather beaten ranger she was beginning to trust. He strolled over to her and helped her to her feet. Without a word, he strode away again and beckoned her to follow. Rolling her eyes, Alarain dusted herself off as she hurried to keep up with him. As she came up to his shoulder, she started to thank him, but he cut her off with a nod and quickened his pace.

As they walked through the streets, Alarain noticed the silence that seemed to have fallen over the village. After the screams from last night, she didn't blame anyone for hiding away in their houses.

They were nearing the gate when she suddenly remembered something. "Brenir!" she said as she stopped in her tracks.

"With the hobbits." Strider answered without a pause.

She relaxed and continued after him. _Thank goodness. At least someone remembered the poor mutt, _Alarain thought guiltily.

They passed through the gate with no more than a couple of glares and suspicious looks from the few people that were out. Strider then immediately turned off the path and lead her into the trees. They found the nervous hobbits huddled around a pony, looking not to happy about being left there by themselves.

All of a sudden, Alarain was pushed to her knees from behind and met with a slobbering tongue and a wagging half-tail. Brenir barked in excitement which earned Alarain a hard stare from the ranger. She shushed him, but not before giving him a scratch behind his ear and a pat on his side.

"Come. We must leave if we are to be far from the town by nightfall." Strider said as he set off into the wilderness.

The hobbits picked up their packs and lead the pony after him. Brenir also bounded at Strider's side, which made Alarain a tiny bit jealous that he did not wish to walk with her. Especially after not seeing her all night. She pushed the jealousy aside and followed behind the pony.

Some time into the day, the hobbits had stopped hoping for a 'second breakfast', earning them strange looks from the two humans. Strider had tossed them a few apples, but did not stop.

Alarain watched the ground as she walked, hoping they would stop soon for it was nearing sunset and her feet were sore. She halted her march when she nearly bumped into Strider as he gazed across the plains in front of them. A hill rose out of the ground and atop it sat the ruins of some sort of tower. Alarain hardly heard the man beside her explain that it was once a great watchtower. Amon Sul, he called it. Though she was relieved when he announced that they would rest there tonight.

They struggled up the slope to the ruins and collapsed when they reached a small indent in the side. Well... Alarain collapsed. She sat up when she heard the sound of swords being unsheathed, and was happy to see that it was only the hobbits, looking at new blades that Strider had just given them.

"This one is yours." the ranger said as he tossed a larger one in her direction.

She gave him a surprised look. "I don't know how to use it though." she explained.

"At least you will have some form of protection." he answered, before getting to his feet again. "Stay here."

"Where are you going?" she asked, a little nervous. The hobbits also waited for his answer.

"I will not be long. I'm am only scouting the area." Strider said with an encouraging look. "I will be back shortly. Stay out of trouble." With that, he disappeared silently.

Alarain sat staring out at the plains around the tower for a while, terrified that she would see movement, but before long, she was asleep with Brenir curled up at her side. She awoke only a few moments later to find that three of the hobbits had made a fire and were cooking.

Getting up quietly, so as not to wake the sleeping Frodo, Alarain made her way over to the fire.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to have that going when we might have Nazgul on our tail?" she asked, shivering with the thought.

Merry answered. "Oh yes! I'm sure we've outrun them. Besides, do you see any Black Riders?"

Pippin continued. "Also, I'm famished. We hardly ate all day!" he said. The others promptly agreed.

Alarain was still skeptical, so she picked up her sword, roused Brenir and slipped away. _I won't be gone long. Strider must not be far away, so I'll find him and bring him back. He'll know if the fire is a bad idea or not._

Standing on the side of the hill, she peered around into the darkness of the night. Brenir suddenly took off running and wagging, so she followed him, knowing he would lead her to the ranger. He made his way to a small stand of trees and disappeared amongst them. Alarain slowed, and stepped into the woods. It was even darker under the canopy, and Alarain almost bumped into a tree at one point. She paused and listened. She could no longer hear the sound of Brenir panting, if fact, she couldn't hear anything. Deciding to go back so as not to get lost, Alarain turned and almost screamed when she found herself face to face with a cloaked figure. He put his hand over her mouth to stop her, and she realized who it was. Her face grew hot and she was thankful that it was too dark for him to notice.

"I told you to stay with the hobbits." he said with a hint of annoyance in his voice as he removed his hand.

She searched for words and replied. "Not specifically." she said lamely.

The woman could barely make out his face in the minimal light, but she could tell he had raised an eyebrow.

She tried something else. "The hobbits made a fire and I thought it might attract..." She was cut off as a piercing scream floated through the night.

They stared at each other for a moment before both taking off in the direction of the hobbits. They ran for the camp in the side of the hill, but the hobbits were gone. Yelling came from the top of the tower ruins, and Strider grabbed a flaming log from the fire before darting up the slope. Alarain grabbed one as well and, heart beating wildly, ran after him. They drew their swords and Strider launched himself into the middle. Alarain froze when she saw what awaited them. Five tall figures, all clad in black, stood looking at something on the ground. Strider jumped in front of the figures, and waving his sword and the flaming log, drove them back. Sam lay on the ground closest to Alarain, so she rushed to his side.

"Are you alright?" she asked, voice shaking.

"Yes, I'm fine. Frodo..." he coughed, and looked across to the place on the ground that the black figures were so interested in.

Alarain glanced over and saw Frodo lying there. He gave a scream, and looked as if he was in a lot of pain. Alarain blindly swung her sword at a nearby Nazgul before she and Sam rushed to Frodo's side. Blood was oozing from a wound on his chest and he was groaning in pain. Merry and Pippin joined them and stared in horror at Frodo's injury.

Alarain turned and saw that two of the Black Riders were on fire, one was retreating and another was being driven off by Strider. Alarain couldn't help but admire the ranger's fighting abilities. When the Ringwraith got to the edge of the ruins, it melted into the darkness as it fled. The fifth was slowly prowling towards Alarain and the hobbits, but when Strider turned back to them, he flung his flaming stick right into the face of the evil creature and it burst into flames.

"Strider!" Sam yelled as she watched the flaming Nazgul retreat.

He came running to their aid and crouched down beside her. His expert eyes assessed the damage, but he was distracted by something. Leaning over, he picked up a sword in his hands and looked at it with disgust. "He's been stabbed by a Morgul-blade." he said as the blade literally disintegrated in his hand. Throwing the hilt down, he continued, "This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs Elvish medicine." With that, he picked up Frodo and jogged away. "Come! Get the pony!" he yelled back to them. Alarain got up and went with Sam to fetch the pony as Merry and Pippin followed the ranger.

"Do you think Mister Frodo will be alright?" Sam asked, looking for reassurance.

"If we are really going to see the elves, then I'm sure he will be." she answered, pulling at the pony's lead rope to get it moving.

Brenir suddenly came sulking out of the shadows looking quite ashamed. _He must have hidden when he heard the Nazgul, _Alarain thought with a snicker.

They caught up with the others and ran off into the wild. Traveling all through the night, they made good time, although it did not help with their weariness. Strider was barely panting at all, but she could see that he was starting to drag his feet as well.

Alarain nearly had a heart attack when they came across three trolls, but Pippin reassured her that they were stone and could not hurt the travelers. Strider ordered a rest and set Frodo down carefully on the ground under the watchful eye of Sam. He stood and took a few steps towards to forest, looking for danger.

"Look Mister Frodo, it's Bilbo's trolls." Sam said quietly to his injured friend. Frodo only wheezed as if he could not breath. Sam felt his cheek and worry spread across his own features. "He's going cold." he called to Strider.

"Is he going to die?" Pippin asked, almost in tears.

Strider turned from the forest and answered. "He's passing into the shadow world. He will soon become a wraith like them."

Alarain sent a glare his way. _I know he's only telling the truth, but he's terrifying the hobbits, s_he thought with annoyance.

Frodo suddenly gave a struggled gasp as a howling scream sounded from not too far off.

"They're close." Merry stated obviously.

"Sam. Alarain." the ranger called and walked over. Sam got up to meet him and she followed. "Do you know the athelas plant?" he questioned.

"Athelas?" Sam asked, looking as if he didn't. Alarain shook her head as well.

"Kingsfoil." Strider explained.

A light of recognition came across Sam's face.

"I know it." Alarain said, confused. _How would IT help?_

"Kingsfoil. Aye, it's a weed." Sam answered, thinking the same.

"It may help to slow the poison." the ranger said before disappearing into the forest to look.

Alarain and Sam split up and set off in different directions while Merry and Pippin stayed with Frodo.

The forest was dark, but she could still see relatively well with the moonlight flooding through the canopy. Stepping over roots, Alarain scoured the ground in search of the elusive weed. She only realized that she must be far from the others when she came to the edge of the forest. Turning around to go back, she was met by a black figure. It raised up it's sword and that's all she remembered before the feeling of pain overwhelmed her and she collapsed into unconsciousness.


	4. Chapter 4

"Mmmm..." Alarain groaned. "Help..."

"Do not worry young one." came a wise voice. "You are safe."

She opened her eyes to a very open room that gave her the feeling of comfort. There were large gaps in the walls that could be called windows, though they held no glass. Surveying the room, her gaze came to rest on a man sitting in a chair beside her bed. He looked no older than an average adult, but she couldn't shake the feeling that he was much, much older.

"Who are you? Where am I? What happened?" she stuttered, rubbing her aching head.

He gave her a fatherly smile answering, "You are at my home in Rivendell my friend. I am Lord Elrond. You were knocked out by a Nazgul when you went to look for the athelas."

Alarain cast her gaze around again and wondered at the intricate designs in the building's structure. Looking back at the man, she gasped. His ears were pointed! "You're an elf!"

He laughed. "I thought you knew you were looking for the elves."

Blushing, she explained quickly that she had never seen an elf before, let alone had the privilege of meeting one. _He__ must be very old if he's an elf, _she thought in amazment.

"Ah. I just remembered. Your friends wished to see you when you awoke. I will send for them now." He stood and walked to the door. "It was very nice to meet you Alarain." he said before exiting.

A few moments later, the woman heard little footsteps rushing down the hall. The door burst open as Merry and Pippin came careening through. "Alarain!" they yelled in excitement.

She laughed as they came rushing to the bedside. "Hello. It's nice to see you two still in one piece!" she smiled.

"You too! We were very worried when you did not return! And so much happened after you left!" Pippin exclaimed.

"What did happen?" Alarain asked. "How is Frodo?"

"Frodo's alright. He'll be coming to see you shortly." Merry said, relieving her of her worry. "Sam too." Just as he said that, Frodo and Sam entered.

"Oh good. I'm so glad to see that you're both still standing as well."

They came smiling to her other side and said their 'hellos'. They all then proceeded in telling her the contents of what had happened after she was knocked out. Apparently, Strider had found the athelas plant as well as an elf who turned out to be his adopted sister. Her name was Arwen and she had saved Frodo by riding him to Rivendell, all the while being chased by Black Riders along the way.

Merry continued. "Strider had then decided to try and find you, so he tracked you from where you left the three stone trolls and we found you lying on the ground. We thought you were dead until Strider told us otherwise. He said you had been knocked out. He then carried you all the way back here!" he finished.

Alarain stared at him. "He carried me all the way here?" she asked, quite dumbstruck.

They laughed. "Yes, although he did complain a couple of times about you going off and getting into trouble on purpose so that he'd have to carry you!" Pippin giggled.

"Oh, did he?" Alarain questioned, her eyebrow raised. They all laughed again.

"Oh! And also, Gandalf is here!" Merry said excitedly. "You must meet him!"

Her stomach churned a few times with the memory of her last visit with a wizard, but she hid it and replied that she would love to.

"Well here's your chance Alarain." Sam spoke up.

Her eyes flew to the door. A man stood there. He looked quite old, had long gray hair and a long gray beard. A gray cloak hung around him as well. He smiled kindly at her and her mouth went dry. The hobbits all said a warm welcome to him before he asked if he could speak to her in private. They went on their way with cheerful 'goodbyes' and she was left alone with the wizard.

Walking over to sit in the chair beside her, he spoke. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you young one." _Why does everyone call me 'young one'? _"I have heard much about you." he continued.

Eying him wearily, she nodded. He sighed. "I must say that I cannot blame that you're afraid of me after what Aragorn has told me about you." He gave her a comforting smile. "But I assure you, I mean you no harm."

A question formed in her mind and she voiced it. "Who is Aragorn?"

"Ah yes. You must only know him as Strider. His real name is Aragorn." He explained.

Alarain was confused. "Why did he tell me his name was Strider then?" she asked.

"He has many names. In the village of Bree, his is known as Strider. He did not lie to you, although, his birth name is Aragorn." the wizard answered.

"What did he tell you about me?" she asked, confused again.

"He told me how you got that scar on your arm."

Alarain quickly looked down at her arm and instinctively went to cover her scar, only to discover that she was wearing a long sleeved dark purple dress. Looking back up at the wizard, she couldn't help but feel calm. _If Aragorn trusts this wizard enough to tell him about my scar, then he's probably trustworthy, _she thought.

"You must sleep now." Gandalf said. "You received quite the bump on the head and it will need rest to heal." He got up and walked to the door. "Someone will be back to see if you are well enough to come to dinner. Goodbye Alarain." he said as he left.

"Goodbye." she replied.

Waking sometime later, Alarain saw a tub filled with steaming water and a new dress waiting for her. She got up, had a well needed bath, and put on the dress. It was her favourite colour, deep forest green. Walking over to one of the windows, Alarain looked out, admiring the beauty of the gardens outside.

A knock sounded at her door and after calling for them to come in, a few gorgeous elves walked in and took away the tub. Feeling slightly disappointed that it was not someone she knew, Alarain decided to explore.

Emerging from her room, she found herself in a spacious hallway. Going left, she wandered onto a beautiful deck with some stairs leading down to the gardens. It was then that she realized that she wore no footwear. Shrugging to herself, she continued her stroll.

The grass felt nice between her toes and she enjoyed the feel of fresh air on her face. All was quiet and peaceful. _Wait. What was that? _Something was barreling down the path towards her! She was just about ready to jump into some flower bushes to avoid whatever it was, when she saw it. Brenir happily galloped around a corner and wiggled around her legs. He nuzzled his nose under her hand in an attempt to get her to pet him. She, of course, complied.

"You're looking well." a voice observed.

Alarain looked up from her petting into the face of someone who she was hoping to run into. Smiling, she stood up to greet the ranger. "Why hello there... Aragorn." she said, purposefully showing that she knew his real name now. As well as trying to show her annoyance with him in not telling her his real name in the first place.

"You asked me my name, so I gave you one." he said teasingly.

She exaggerated rolling her eyes at him. He motioned for her to walk with him and they strolled together in silence for a while with Brenir following close by. It was nice. Neither of them felt the need to fill the gaps with words. Looking at him sideways, she noticed that he no longer wore the ranger garb that she met him in. He was now clad in fancy elvish clothes that shone in the sunlight every once in while. Her eyes traveled up to his face, which was now washed and free of dirt and grime.

She was startled when he broke the silence. "You were supposed to stay in your room."

Alarain smiled and said cheekily, "Not one soul informed me of that. Not specifically anyways."

Aragorn looked down at her with raised eyebrows and a smirk, remembering the moment in the woods below the ruins of Amon Sul.

They walked on again, neither saying a word. Alarain broke the silence this time. "Thank you Aragorn." she said, looking up at him sideways again.

He gave her a questioning look. "What for?"

"Saving me... quite a few times I might add." she said, blushing as she looked back down at the ground. "The hobbits said that you carried me all the way here."

His gaze didn't leave her for a while, making her blush even harder. _Stop it!_

"My pleasure." he smiled, finally looking away.

She was saved from further blushing when an elf came along the trail. "Ah Aragorn!" he said in recognition. "And you must be Lady Alarain." he said to her as he took her hand and kissed it. _So much for being saved from further blushing... _"I am Legolas of the Woodland Realm. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Please, just Alarain. I'm hardly a Lady." she said with a pink face.

"Alright Legolas. Leave the poor girl alone." Aragorn said to his friend.

Legolas laughed. "I have been sent to bring you both back for dinner." he continued. "May I?" he said to Alarain, offering his arm. She felt rude not taking it, so she obliged.

As they entered the dining hall, Alarain gasped at the grandness of the room. Legolas smiled and lead her to a seat before taking his place beside her. Aragorn sat across from her and the meal began. She spotted the hobbits sitting some ways down the table with Gandalf, Lord Elrond, and a gorgeously elegant female elf who she supposed was Arwen.

She only half listened to the conversations around her as she ate. The woman from a small Rohan village was not usually one for large crowds and was feeling quite out of place among the many elves. Although she would still put in a sentence here or there when needed, she couldn't wait to leave. Aragorn seemed to sense this and came around the table to her. He made the excuse that she should go rest, offered her his arm, which she gladly took, and lead her out of the busy dining hall.

As they exited, she said a quick 'thank you' to him. His response was a nod and a knowing smile. They had to walk through some of the gardens to get back to her room, which she enjoyed very much. The peace of the outdoors calmed her nerves and she almost forgot that Aragorn was there. She only remembered that he was, when she decided that she didn't want to go in yet and slipped out of his arm to stroll off in a completely different direction.

"Alarain?" he asked from behind her.

She ignored him, secretly getting back for all the times he had ignored her. She soon heard his almost silent footfalls behind her and knew that he had followed.

Stopping in her tracks, she turned around to face him. "You don't have to come. I'm sure I'm not going to go off and get into any trouble here." she said, thinking of what the hobbits had told her about Aragorn complaining on the way here.

He stood there in confusion before an understanding smile slowly grew on his lips. Alarain stuck her tongue out at him in a childish manner before turning to continue on her walk. She didn't hear him come after her, so she peeked back at him and nearly jumped when she saw him walking right beside her.

He chuckled. "I'm a ranger, remember?"

Alarain laughed with him, partly to calm her nerves after that scare. They meandered their way through the garden until the trees started getting thicker. Without saying a word to each other, they turned around and headed back.

Deciding to strike up a conversation with him, Alarain asked, "So have you known Legolas for long?"

He smiled. "A while, yes. Why?"

"Oh, just making conversation." she smiled back.

"Nothing more?" he asked.

She looked up at him with questioning eyes. "No...?"

"You're not... interested in him?"

Seeing what he was getting at, Alarain blushed. "No, no." she laughed nervously. Her heart was beating at an unusual rate, though she didn't have a clue why. It was true. She didn't feel that way about Legolas. _So why am I so nervous?_

"He's a prince." Aragorn said out of the blue.

Her eyes widened and she stared at him. "What?"

The ranger laughed. "Now are you interested?" he teased.

She felt her cheeks grow hot again, but she ignored it. "No, but should I have been more..."

"Don't worry. You didn't offend him or anything." he reassured her with a smile and a laugh.

They arrived at the house her room was in and Aragorn lead her through the halls to her door.

Suddenly remembering, she asked, "Where is Brenir?"

"Do not worry about him. He is being well looked after." Aragorn said and she relaxed.

"Thank you." Alarain smiled. "I never remember him, poor guy." she continued, looking at the floor guiltily.

Opening her door, she stepped inside and turning, said "Goodnight" to Aragorn. He gave her a smile and a small bow before bidding her goodnight as well.


	5. Chapter 5

Alarain enjoyed her days at Rivendell, though never feeling like she truly belonged. She spent a lot of her time with the hobbits, but mostly with Aragorn, and even Legolas. Speaking with Gandalf a few times, Alarain began to trust him and look to him for information.

She hardly saw Brenir anymore, for he had taken a liking the the hobbits and them to him. He spent most of his time running around, disturbing the elves with Merry and Pippin. She also met Arwen, and they became quite good friends as well, often spending time together in the gardens or the library.

One especially bright morning, she was talking a walk through the gardens, when Arwen came looking for her. "I thought I might find you here." she said, coming around a corner.

Alarain looked up and smiled in greeting. "Where else would I be?" she asked. They both knew she spent most of her time wandering among the flowers and trees.

"Come. My father wishes to speak with you." Arwen continued. "He says it is about some information you have for him."

Understanding that the time had come for her to explain what happened to her during her time in Isengard, Alarain followed her friend back to Lord Elrond's study.

Arwen opened the door and lead her in before taking her leave. Alarain looked around the room, noticing that Elrond was not the only one there. Gandalf and Aragorn were also present. Lord Elrond greeted her and beckoned her to sit. The woman slowly made her way over and sat down, feeling somewhat like she was being scrutinized.

Gandalf gave her a reassuring smile and spoke. "I'm sure you know why you have been summoned here Alarain."

She nodded and glanced at Aragorn. He offered no comfort, but only watched her with expressionless eyes. Turning back to Lord Elrond, she waited for him to speak.

"Alarain." he began. "Aragorn has informed us of your stay in Saruman's tower, and we have waited until you are thoroughly recovered before speaking to you about it." Leaning forward in his chair across the desk, he said, "I think you should know that you are not the only one here who was kept as his prisoner."

She glanced around the room at both Aragorn and Gandalf, eyes showing her confusion.

"I too was delayed in Saruman's fortress." Gandalf spoke up. "That is why I was not able to meet our dear hobbit friends at Bree."

Alarain gaped at him in amazement. _That monster captured Gandalf too!_

"I escaped, with some assistance, and came here straight away." he continued.

Lord Elrond spoke again. "Please, if you would, tell us what Isengard looked like at the time you were there."

She took a deep breath before speaking. "It looked how it always had, though there seemed to be a constant cloud of evil that hung over the place. I spotted no animals anywhere close to the walls, and there were few birds calling either." Looking nervously at the floor, her hands had balled into fists and her knuckles were turning white as she remembered all that she had seen there. "Orcs had made small camps throughout the forest on the inside of the walls, and some of the trees were slowly dying." she finished before sitting there in silence, wishing she could leave. Looking up into their faces, the elf lord in front of her looked troubled, Gandalf seemed to be deep in thought, and Aragorn was staring angrily at the floor.

"It seems that he turned against us quite a while ago." Lord Elrond said darkly.

Gandalf muttered something to himself before turning back to the others occupying the room. He noticed Alarain's pained expression and spoke, "I think you can go now Alarain. Aragorn, please escort her out if you will.

Aragorn, distracted out of his trance, stood and lead her to the door. Alarain was lost as to why he had looked so angry, but didn't pester him about it. They wandered among the halls until Alarain had no idea where they were, and she expressed this.

"Oh. Sorry." was all he said before he turned around and lead her back through to the gardens.

Not being able to stand it any longer, Alarain asked, "Is something wrong?"

He didn't answer. After she repeated the question, he turned to her. "I was just thinking about... what Saruman did to you, that's all." He kept walking and she trotted after him, her dress making it hard to run properly.

"Why?" she asked when she reached his shoulder.

He ignored her, so she gave up and they lapsed into silence.

"Will you teach me how to use a sword?" she tried, knowing that would get a reaction out of him.

He stopped and stared down at her. "No."

"Why not?" she asked, glad that he was actually talking.

"Because you don't need to know." he said before walking off again.

Catching up, she scowled. "It's because I'm a woman, isn't it?"

"N... no..." he stuttered, obviously trying to to offend her.

"I should know how to defend myself at least. Who knows when I might run into some bloodthirsty orcs! What would I do? Yell 'HELLO! COME KILL ME PLEASE!' across to them?"

"Alright!" he gave in. "But I'll only teach you defensive moves. Nothing more." he said stubbornly.

Throwing him a huge smile, she flounced off to find her sword, all the while grinning from her victory.

A short while later, she had changed into her old ranger style clothes, them being more comfortable to fight in, and was facing Aragorn in a small field. She had refused to learn in the practice arena, not wanting to be laughed at for her pitiful attempts.

"Don't look in my eyes." Aragorn instructed. "They could be lying."

She sent him silly look, wondering how eyes could lie, and focused on his torso. He tried a few simple attacks, and she clumsily blocked them, all the while trying not to trip as well. He faked a swing to the right and his sword came around on her left only to stop just inches from her neck. He stepped back and faced her again. This time, she saw the bluff and blocked to the left. Nodding, he continued with his attacks. After only a few minutes of this, Alarain was tiring.

"Alright." he said. "That's enough for today."

She nodded and lowered her sword. Out of nowhere, clapping sounded from the forest, and Legolas stepped out with a smirk.

Walking over, he said, "Very good Alarain. Though I think swordplay is not your thing."

She glared at him. "Were you there the whole time?" she asked with annoyance.

His smile told her yes. Picking up a stone she sent it flying towards him, and if he had not caught it, it would have hit him square in the nose.

He raised his eyebrows. "Maybe your strength is more in projectiles." he observed. "Would you like me to teach you how to use a bow?"

Aragorn cut in then. "Oh no, don't encourage her Legolas."

Alarain sent him a glare. "I'd love that." she replied to Legolas.

He smiled before turning to the ranger. "I actually came to find you, Aragorn. You've been summoned by Lord Elrond." he said, gesturing for Aragorn to accompany him.

Alarain walked with them as far as her room, and saying farewell, she put her sword away. Not wanting to be left out, she decided to try out her sneaking skills. Quietly exiting her room, she trailed her friends down the hallway. Her feet made hardly a sound on the floor and she followed them with ease. They walked some ways, passing through many halls before making their way through the garden. She stayed out of hearing range, but still kept them in sight.

They soon came to a beautiful round balcony, and walking up the steps, joined many others there as well. Chairs lined half the edge and Lord Elrond sat in a larger seat at the head of the council. Hoping not to be discovered, Alarain crouched in the bushes to the side of the balcony. Gaze wandering, she realized that were people there not of the elven race. A few men sat across from the elves, and some short, long bearded beings that she assumed were dwarves, sat between the men and elves. Alarain then spotted Gandalf sitting second to the end on the elf side with... Frodo? She saw Aragorn and Legolas take seats with their respective races and turned her eyes to Lord Elrond.

Standing, he spoke. "Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, you have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor."

Alarain's eyes widened at the name, and he continued. "Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction and none can escape it. You will unite, or you will fall."

No one moved.

"Each race is bound to this fate. This one doom." he said ominously. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo." he said, gesturing to a podium that sat in the middle.

She had never persisted in knowing what the hobbit carried, but now she was intrigued. All eyes were on Frodo as he got to his feet slowly and made his way to the middle. Taking a small golden ring out of his pocket, he placed it on the platform, almost as if he didn't want to. He then turned and sat back down in his chair, sighing with relief. Alarain however, did not notice this, for she could not take her eyes off the thing sitting on the podium. She swore she could almost hear it calling to her, telling her to take it. Fighting the urge to run out and snatch it up, she tore her eyes away.

A man sitting very close to her hiding spot slowly stood up, and started talking gibberish about a dream as he made his way across the balcony to the Ring. She stared at him as he reached down to touch it, wondering if anyone would stop him.

"Boromir!" Elrond suddenly snapped, shooting to his feet, and the man's hand shot back.

Almost at the same time, Gandalf began shouting in a terrifying language. "**Ash nazg durbatulûk!**" The sky began to grow dark as he continued. "**Ash nazg gimbatul!**" The elves all closed their eyes as if in pain, and Boromir backed up to his chair and sat down, eyes wide with fear. "**Ash nazg thrakatulûk!**" Alarain's own head began to pound and her heart was racing. "**Agh burzum-ishi krimpatul!**" She was relieved when the wizard finished and the sky cleared. The sunlight streamed down again as if it never happened.

Lord Elrond recovered from his headache and spoke in a very angry tone to Gandalf. "Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris." he said, glaring at the wizard.

"I do not ask your pardon Master Elrond," Gandalf said as the elf lord sat down again. "for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the west!" He then turned his angry gaze to the man called Boromir. "The Ring is altogether evil." he said, before going to sit down.

Boromir was not fazed however, and standing again, went on. "It is a gift." he began. "A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring?" he continued, looking around at the many faces. "Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay." He was seemingly trying to convince everyone to give it to him as he walked around. "By the blood of our people, are you lands kept safe." Proving her theory right, he continued, saying, "Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy! Let us use it against him!"

"You cannot wield it. None of us can." came a voice from across the balcony. Alarain, as well as Boromir turned to see that it was Aragorn who had spoken. "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master." he said, trying to get the man in front of him to understand.

Boromir only scoffed and asked mockingly, "And what would a ranger know of this matter?"

"This is no mere ranger." Legolas suddenly spoke up. "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."

Boromir's mouth dropped open slightly as he turned back to Aragorn. Very confused, Alarain waited to see if anything would be explained. _Did he lie about who he is again?_

"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?" Boromir asked, not really expecting an answer.

_Who?_

Legolas spoke again, clarifying things for her. "And heir to the throne of Gondor." Alarain's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. _KING? And I was worried about how to treat Legolas!_

Aragorn then said something to Legolas in what sounded like elvish, looking as if he didn't really enjoy all the attention.

Boromir was still looking a little dumbstruck, but then his face turned menacing. "Gondor has no king." Walking back to his seat, he eyed Aragorn fiercely. "Gondor needs no king." Sitting down, he continued to glare at the poor ranger.

Gandalf suddenly, and thankfully, changed the subject back to the one at hand. "Aragorn is right. We cannot use it."

Standing, Lord Elrond eyed the circle. "You have only one choice." He then said in a low voice, "The Ring must be destroyed."

A dwarf sitting just right of her bush stood and yelled, "Well, what are we waiting for!" Grabbing his axe, he jumped forward and smashed it into the Ring. He flew back onto the ground as if a great force had pushed him, and when everyone looked back at the podium, they saw that the Ring was seemingly untouched with shards of the dwarf's axe lying around it.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess." Lord Elrond said with a slightly amused look gracing his features as he watched the dwarf. His expression then turned serious as he stared at the small golden circle. "The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom, only there can it be unmade." He looked around at all the faces and continued. "It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you," he paused. "must do this."

Silence followed, and Alarain hardly breathed, until Boromir spoke up again. "One does not simply walk into Mordor. It's black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep." The hair on the back of Alarain's neck started to stand up as he carried on. "And the Great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breath is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly." he finished.

Legolas shot up. "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!"

He was suddenly interrupted by the dwarf called Gimli. "And I suppose you think you're the one to do it!" he mocked, and Legolas annoyingly turned his gaze to the dwarf.

Boromir too stood up. "And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his!" he yelled.

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!" Gimli shouted, springing to his feet.

Alarain looked over at Aragorn to see what he thought of all this, but he only rolled his eyes in exasperation.

With that, all the elves present also stood, and started bickering with the dwarves. Soon, all except Aragorn, Frodo, and Lord Elrond were up and arguing.

A small voice yelled over the others. When no one heard, it yelled again, louder this time. "I will take it!"

All arguing stopped and everyone turned to find that it was Frodo who had spoken. "I will take the Ring to Mordor." he said loudly. He was met with silence. "Though, I do not know the way." he said after a moment in a small, nervous voice.

Gandalf walked to stand behind him saying, "I will help you bare this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bare." as he did so.

Aragorn stood and kneeling in front of him, said, "If by my life or death, I can protect you, I will. You have my sword." He also moved to stand behind Frodo.

Legolas, as well as the dwarf, Gimli, and the man, Boromir, also gave their help and stood with the others.

A bush far to her right rustled, and Sam ran out to Frodo's side. "Hey! Mister Frodo's not going anywhere without me!" he said, crossing his arms stubbornly.

Lord Elrond sighed and said with an amused look, "No, indeed. It is hardly possible to separate you two, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."

"Oi! We're coming too!" Merry yelled as he and Pippin ran out from behind some pillars. "You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us." he threatened.

"Anyway," Pippin continued. "you need people of intelligence on this sort of... mission... quest... thing."

"Well that rules you out Pip." Merry teased.

"Nine companions. So be it." Elrond agreed. "You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

Pippin smiled with satisfaction. "Great! Where are we going?"

_They're all leaving..._


	6. Chapter 6

Alarain stayed in her hiding spot for some time. After realizing that so many of her friends would be leaving, she had cried herself to sleep in that bush and had only woken sometime after sunset. The woman was still in her ranger garb, for she had not changed after her sword fighting lesson with Aragorn. Alarain was thankful that her clothes kept her well concealed. She sat in the dirt with her back resting on the side of the balcony and picked leaves into small pieces, for it was the only thing she felt like doing. A couple of times, she had heard voices calling her name, no doubt wondering where she was, but had kept silent.

Footsteps on the balcony made her pause in her leaf picking, and she stayed quiet, hoping it was just an elf passing by. The footsteps came to the edge and she looked up. Aragorn stood looking down at her, before he silently slipped into the undergrowth at her side.

He watched her for a while before speaking quietly. "Everyone is looking for you." he remarked.

Alarain didn't respond.

The ranger regarded her tear-stained cheeks with confusion. "How long have you been hiding here?" he asked, obviously wondering if she had heard the council.

"A while." she sniffed.

Nodding, he realized that she had seen the entire thing. She tried to resume her leaf picking, but he interrupted by pulling her into a hug. She was surprised, but did not pull away. He was warm, and listening to his heartbeat, she began to feel sleepy.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." he said, speaking of the Ring.

"I understand Aragorn. It's quite a big secret. You can't just go telling anyone." she said into his chest.

He was silent for while. "You aren't just anyone though." he said quietly. "You're a good friend whom I trust and I should have told you."

They quieted again, and when the voices of people searching for Alarain came to their ears, Aragorn didn't give her away.

Alarain suddenly remembered what she heard about him and sat up from his embrace. She stared him down angrily, and he looked startled. "What did I do?" he asked, worry showing on his face.

"You're a king?" she asked, not expecting an answer.

He looked uncomfortable. "No. I'm not."

"But you are the heir of Gondor's throne." she stated.

Not meeting her gaze, he looked out at the stars. "Yes." he answered quietly. The look on his face told her that he had thought on this topic quite a lot.

Watching the ranger, she saw that he did have an air of power hanging over him. His eyes showed wisdom and the way he held himself spoke of calm control. He turned his eyes on her and they shone with care.

"You look tired." he stated. "Come. I'll take you to your room."

He stood and helped her to her feet, then offered his arm. Alarain took it, and they walked through the trees and past houses in the cool night air.

"I wish I could come with you." she said suddenly.

Aragorn looked down at her with a worried glance. "That would not be a good idea." he said, hoping that she would not persist.

"Why not?" She looked up at him and narrowed her eyes.

"Because it will be very dangerous, as well as the small fact that you cannot yet properly protect yourself." He was obviously trying to scare her out of the idea. I did not, however, work.

"The hobbits are going. Can they properly protect themselves?"

Aragorn sighed with frustration. "No." he admitted.

"Exactly." she pointed out.

They got to her room and he faced her. "Lord Elrond would never allow it." he said.

Alarain laughed. "That's your excuse?"

The ranger glared. "He won't." he insisted.

"Well, I just might ask him to see if you're right." she said, sticking out her tongue before entering her room.

"Alarain..."

"Goodnight." she interrupted cheerfully, and closed the door before he could continue his protests.

Listening through the wood, she heard him sigh in defeat before slowly walking away.

Early the next morning, Alarain went in search of Lord Elrond. After looking in his study, the library, and the dining hall, she came across Arwen. She was sitting high up on a balcony, seemingly entranced by the book she had her nose in.

"Arwen?" Alarain called up to her.

She held up her finger, as if to say that she would not respond until finishing what she was reading. Alarain sighed exaggeratedly, and tapped her foot with pretend impatience. She grinned, knowing that Arwen's elf hearing allowed her to hear every tap. Finally, she put down her book with a roll of her eyes and strode over the the railing.

"Yes?" she said in her silliest impatient voice.

Alarain smiled up at her before asking where her father was.

"Father has locked himself in his quarters with Gandalf. I know not of what they're speaking of." she answered. "Why do you ask?"

Alarain deliberated, before deciding that she did not want to yell her wish out for everyone to hear, and ran into the building to make her way up to Arwen. She skipped through the halls and found Arwen waiting for her with an amused expression.

"Well..." she began. "Do you know about the council that was held yesterday?" she asked before anything else.

Arwen nodded. _Of course she knows! She's Lord Elrond's daughter for crying out loud!_

She continued. "Well, I sort of... saw the whole thing, and I thought that it might be a good idea for the fellowship to have a... female presence to keep them... sane."

The elf raised an eyebrow. "And I'm guessing that you wish to be that female presence?"

Alarain nodded sheepishly.

"And I'm guessing that you wish to ask my father about it?"

She nodded again. "Aragorn didn't think that it was a good idea, and he said that your father would never agree to it, but I want to hear that from him."

"I must say that I agree with Aragorn." Arwen sighed.

"What? I thought you would be on my side." she said, disappointed. "I'd hoped that you might help me convince Lord Elrond."

"Alarain, have you really thought about this? It will be one of the hardest and most dangerous journeys in history." she said, worried for her friend.

Alarain did think about it. "You're right. I know I shouldn't go, but..." she walked over to the edge and gazed up to the sky in thought. "So many of my friends are leaving and I don't know if I'll ever see them again."

Arwen stepped to her side and rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. "My father and I will still be here. We are your friends Alarain."

"It's not only that." she spoke. "I don't feel right here. I know you wouldn't understand that because this is your home, but I think I... I wish to see Rohan again. I want to go home." she finished, turning to her friend.

"I do understand that you don't feel at home here. This is a place of elves, and you are a woman of Rohan. I will speak with my father about your return home." Arwen smiled, and left her Rohirrim friend in peace.

Not long after the elf had left, Alarain saw a tall, noble looking man wandering around below. She recognized him as the son of the Stewerd of Gondor. The one who had been so rude to Aragorn. _Boromir, _she thought with disgust. _He must think he's so important! _She continued to glare at him until he glanced up a saw her. He gave her a questioning look, and watched her for a moment. When she did not cease her glaring, he shook his head in confusion and strolled away. She laughed at her own behaviour before sauntering off in search of some hobbit fun.

That afternoon, she had played with Brenir and the hobbits before Aragorn had come to give her her sword fighting lesson. He had said nothing more of her wish to join the fellowship, so she told him of her change of heart. The ranger seemed pleased, but did not respond however, when she informed him of her plan to return to Rohan. He had then proceeded in working her to the brink of exhaustion, and she was relieved when he had finally allowed her to go and soak away her sweat in a soothing hot bath before dinner.

Legolas had come to escort her to the meal, and had asked her where she had been the night before. She made up a lie and told the elf that she had fallen asleep in the gardens.

Dinner was pleasant enough, though she could feel Boromir eying her every once in a while. Trying to ignore him, she asked Legolas to tell her of his home. Looking very excited at that, he had proceeded in describing his home in Mirkwood, or Greenwood as he called it, in a very detailed description. Alarain soon found herself so interested, that she forgot all about the proud Gondorian watching her.

When the meal was over, Arwen came and asked Alarain to join her. She then lead her through the many halls to her father's study.

Lord Elrond stood at his window with his back to the door. He turned when they entered, and smiled in greeting.

"Alarain, welcome. My daughter tells me that you wish to return to your home in Rohan."

She nodded. "Yes, I do. I've not seen it for quite a while and I miss it."

Elrond stroked his chin in thought. "She also tells me that prior to this wish, you wanted to join the fellowship."

Alarain's eyes widened. _He knows that I know about the fellowship!_

"Yes, I know." he said, and his eyes wandered to Arwen.

Alarain looked at her friend and narrowed her eyes. Arwen tried to look as innocent as possible, and she succeeded very well.

The elf lord continued. "Well it seems, Alarain, that you may have both wishes granted."

Her eyes darted back to him, confusion shining in them. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I've decided that you are to accompany the fellowship as far as Rohan. There you will part ways." he said with an amused expression as he witnessed Alarain's face light up.

"Really?" she asked, almost jumping with joy. "I mean... thank you milord." She tried to calm herself down as much as she could in front of the elf lord.

He laughed at her attempt. "I do however, wish for Aragorn to continue his lessons with you on sword combat. I also heard that Legolas will perhaps be teaching you archery."

"Of course. Thank you." she said, excitement boiling at the thought of seeing her home, as well as being with her friends for a while longer.

She was soon dismissed and skipped all the way to her room. That night, Alarain fell asleep with a smile on her lips. Her last thought before she did so, was this. _I bet Aragorn will be grumpy when he hears about this!_


	7. Chapter 7

She was right. Aragorn was grumpy. First thing the next morning, he came tromping through the halls to her room, muttering to himself. She had just closed the door behind her when he came around the corner.

"He said yes?" he asked loudly, clearly disagreeing with Lord Elronds decision.

Alarain smirked and walked around him. She heard him grumble before coming after her again.

"Alarain..." he said, sounding slightly dangerous.

She ignored him, but he caught her arm and slipped in front of her, standing in the way.

"Yes. I'm coming, but only as far as Rohan." she said, briefly wondering if he would try and lock her away in a closet to keep her from going.

"ONLY as far as Rohan? That is most of the journey!" he said, obviously flustered.

Alarain frowned. "Relax Aragorn. He wants me to continue to learn to sword fight before we leave. He also wants Legolas to teach me how to use a bow. I'll be fine."

Aragorn scoffed. "Fine? Oh alright, in that case!" he grumbled sarcastically, before turning and striding away.

She rolled her eyes in annoyance. _What? I will be! _Glaring at his retreating figure, she felt angry that he did not trust her enough to take care of herself.

After a lovely breakfast, Alarain went in search of Legolas, and found him in the most unlikely of places. A tree.

"Legolas?" she called up to him.

He climbed swiftly through the branches until he was just above her. "May I help you milady?"

Alarain raised her eyebrow at his behaviour and went on. "Did you hear? I'm coming with the fellowship!"

"Ah yes! That must be why Aragorn stomped by my tree earlier. He was muttering the most savage things under his breath. I'll spare you the details."

She laughed. "Yes... he was just a little bit angry." she said sarcastically. "Wait. Did you know that I know about the fellowship?"

He grinned. "I know everything."

Alarain rolled her eyes. "Then you must also know that Lord Elrond wishes for you to teach me archery."

"Of course." he said as he swung down from the tree. "Follow me." With that, he strode off into the forest.

"Wait!" she called, almost tripping as she tried to hurry after him. "Darn dress..."

"Oh you must try to be more colourful than that if you wish to beat Aragorn at mumbling under your breath!" Legolas called back to her, flashing a smile.

Alarain frowned. "That loony of an elf thinks he's so amazing with his elf hearing..." she growled, knowing he could hear her.

"Hey!" she heard from up ahead.

Smiling in satisfaction, she made her way through the woods after him. Soon, she was lost.

"Over here."

She jumped as she heard Legolas right beside her. Glaring at him, she continued to follow.

He stopped in a clearing. "Here we are!"

Alarain came to stand beside him. "There's nothing here..." she said in confusion.

He pointed, and she spotted two bows leaning on a log.

She shook her head, smiling, and wondering how he had already set up everything perfectly.

"Come milady. Fetch your bow." Legolas instructed as he picked up his own.

Walking to the log she 'fetched' her bow and turned to her teacher.

"Now shoot that stump." he said pointing across the clearing.

"Just like that?"

"Yes. Go on. Amaze me." he grinned.

Drawing her bow, she got ready to fire.

"Do not forget the arrow milady." came from beside her.

Blushing, she realized that she had forgotten that part. Legolas passed her one, trying not the laugh as she sent him a glare. She drew her bow for a second time, aimed, and released. Her arrow sailed through the air... and... and... right past the stump.

"Shoot!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, that is what you're supposed to do." Legolas snickered, enjoying his joke.

She sent him another glare and he passed her a second arrow. "Now this time, draw your bow, but do not release until I say." he instructed.

Alarain nodded and did as he said. He walked around, studying her. Stepping forward, he adjusted her arm so the string would not hit her wrist when she fired. Then, he showed her how to hold it properly with her other hand. Taking a step back to give her room, he told her to aim slightly higher than where she wished her arrow to land. "Now, just let go." he said.

She did. Her arrow planted itself deep into the bark of the stump with a satisfying sound.

"I did it!" she yelled.

Legolas laughed as she asked to try again. They continued this routine for quite a while, for it did not tire her out as much as sword fighting.

"That is enough for today." He announced when the sun was only a few hand lengths above the horizon.

Alarain sulked. "One more?" she asked, batting her eyelashes in a goofy manner.

Legolas was staring off into the trees and didn't respond.

"Legolas?" she asked in confusion.

He snapped back to reality. "Ummm..." he said, looking mischievous. "I fear that I must leave you now. Farewell Lady Alarain!" he grinned before grabbing his bow and sprinting off into the woods.

"Wait! I don't know the way back! Stupid elf! I told you not to call me Lady!" she yelled after him.

He did not reappear. Glancing around into the increasingly darkening forest, her imagination began to create orcs out of shadows. "Legolas?" she called out. She picked up an arrow and turned around, eyes searching the darkness. _I would not be surprised if he jumps out at me, _she thought. Backing up, she suddenly bumped into a solid object. The woman yelped, turned, and punched it. "Ouch!" she exclaimed as her fist met wood. _Oh, a tree, _she thought with a blush. _I hope Legolas didn't see that. _Turning around once more, she saw a shape leaning on a tree in the shadows. Fear clutched at her heart when she saw that it did not wear the same clothes as her elf friend. Drawing her bow, she aimed at the shape. "Who are you?" she asked, trying to control her shaking voice. The figure moved towards her, and her thoughts flashed back to the Nazgul. Her eyes widened as the familiar unshaven face of Aragorn stepped into view.

Alarain lowered her bow. "Aragorn! Are you mad! I could have shot you!"

He did not respond, and only watched her with his penetrating gray-green eyes.

She frowned at him. "What? You don't think I could have hit you?" she asked, hurt that he didn't seem to think so.

Again, he did not respond.

Taking that as a yes, her frown deepened. They both stood there for a moment, watching each other carefully.

"I still disagree with you coming." he said finally.

She sighed, hurt still showing in her eyes. "Why?"

Aragorn took a step towards her. "Please, Alarain. I only wish for you to be safe. It's not that I don't enjoy your company. I do." he said, not taking his eyes off her.

"It's not up to you whether I come or not Aragorn."

He dropped his eyes to the ground. "I know."

They were silent again. He spoke after a while, sincerity showing in his voice. "I'm sorry. I know that I cannot change your mind about this, so I may as well except it. I don't like it, but I'll except it. And I want to prepare you as best I can, so I do not want us to be angry with each other for sword fight lessons." He finished and looked back up at her, no doubt trying to look as forgivable as possible.

Alarain raised an eyebrow at his silly attempt. "Alright, but I'll only forgive you if you teach me more than just defensive moves." she bargained.

He sighed deeply before agreeing.

"Now... can you help me?" she asked sheepishly.

He gave her a questioning look.

"It's getting dark and I'm lost." she explained.

Aragorn laughed. "As you wish." he said, grinning as he offered his arm. Alarain took it and swung her bow over her back as he lead her home.

The next few days were spent on endless sword fighting lessons and archery training. Each night, Alarain would collapse into her bed and fall asleep right away, only to get up early the next morning and begin again.

After one particularly successful archery lesson, Alarain was strolling through the gardens, and her path just happened to intersect with another on which someone else was walking.

"Hello milady."

She turned at the sound of someone's voice. Boromir's voice. _Great... _"Hello." she said carefully, hoping he would not inquire as to why she had been glaring at him on the balcony that day.

"We have not had the pleasure of being introduced yet. I am Boromir of Gondor." he continued with a bow.

"My name is Alarain." she answered, again, carefully. She could not help but notice that he was trying not to laugh. "Do you find me amusing Lord Boromir?" she asked, slightly annoyed.

He smiled. "No, of course not milady. I was just thinking about... something." he said, his mind obviously on the glaring he had received from her.

"I must ask though, what is a woman doing here among the elves?" he inquired curiously.

Alarain thought. "I have friends here. Why?"

"Oh, just wondering." he said. "May I walk with you?"

_Great... _"Of course." she said, and they continued the stroll.

They were silent for a while, listening to the sounds of the outdoors. The chirping of the birds, the whistling of the wind, the barking and screaming of the...

_Wait... What? _She exchanged looks with Boromir before they took off in the direction of the sound. As they rounded a corner, they both felt great forces crash into their legs before falling to the ground.

"Ugh..."

Alarain heard a groan from under her, and jumped to her feet to find Merry lying in the dirt where she had just been. Boromir was just crawling off of Pippin. Brenir suddenly ran between the commotion with two elves on his tail. He was carrying a bow in his mouth.

"Stupid mutt!" one of the elves yelled, among some other words.

"Brenir! Come here!" she shouted. He stopped abruptly and ran back to her, swerving out of the reach of his pursuers. They came walking swiftly back to her, looking very angry.

"Is this your dog?" one asked, eying the cowering hound.

She frowned. "Yes, he is. I'm so sorry. Here." she said, handing his bow back.

They glared at her for a moment before muttering in elvish and striding away. "You should keep that beast under control!" the other elf yelled over his shoulder.

Alarain slowly turned to the dog, eyes showing her fury. "What were you thinking Brenir!" she burst. "You know how elves cherish their bows! Who knows what they would have done to you had they caught you!" Brenir turned and ran into the bushes, tail between his legs. She then turned her gaze on the two hobbits, who had picked themselves up off the ground and were trying to look as innocent as possible. "And you!" she continued in her rant. "What were YOU thinking!"

They exchanged a glance before sprinting off.

"Come back here!" she yelled after them, along with some other unmentionable things. Alarain halted in her bellowing when she heard the sound of laughter. Swinging her head around, her eyes landed on Boromir who, at the moment, was snickering uncontrollably.

Turning to face him head on, she crossed her arms and glared. When he finally ceased his chuckling, he looked up at her and immediately his face went serious. Well, sort of. He was trying very hard not to break his expression.

"Is something funny?" she asked, daring him to laugh.

He grinned. "No, of course not. This situation could not possibly cause amusement. How would a woman cursing and swearing at two hobbits and a dog for stealing an elvish bow be funny in any way? It's impossible."

Her frown almost cracked at that. She raised an eyebrow and finally lost control of her scowl. Grinning, she bid Boromir farewell and flounced off to find Brenir. She had to admit, he seemed a lot nicer than he had at the council. _Perhaps__ he's alright. _She smiled to herself.


	8. Chapter 8

Arwen was singing to herself in elvish as they made their way to Lord Elronds study. Two days after the incident with Brenir and the bow, Alarain had been summoned by Lord Elrond, and it was the elf beside her that had been sent to collect her. Her song was very beautiful, and even though the Rohirrim woman had no idea what it was about, she was enjoying it.

They reached their destination and Arwen motioned for her to go in. She then resumed her singing and floated away, her voice echoing through the halls.

Entering, Alarain saw that their were many other people there too. Lord Elrond was there, as well as Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf, the hobbits, Boromir, and the dwarf named Gimli.

_The fellowship, _she thought, feeling somewhat out of place among them.

Everyone turned to look at her as she came in, causing her to feel quite uncomfortable. Boromir and the dwarf looked confused, but the others just turned back to the elf lord. They already knew she was joining them.

"Good, everyone is here." Elrond began. "Boromir and Gimli, this is Alarain. She will be joining the fellowship, though only as far as her home in Rohan."

"We've met." Boromir smiled.

Alarain grinned back and bowed her head in greeting.

"It's very nice to meet you lassie!" Gimli spoke up. He sent her a big bearded grin and did a little bow.

"And you." she replied with another smile.

Lord Elrond continued. "I have called you all here to announce that you will be departing from Rivendell in two days time." he paused to look around at all the faces. "Between then and now, you shall pack what supplies you'll need, such as food and weapons."

He was cut by a small voice. "Excuse me? Sir?" Sam asked.

Elrond raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" he questioned slowly.

Sam looked uncomfortable with all eyes on him. "Can... can Bill come?"

Her eyes widened at the name, and her mind was briefly back in that room with Bill Ferny and his buddies.

"Who, might I ask, is Bill?" the elf lord asked in confusion.

"The pony that we got in Bree." Sam explained. "I uh... named him that."

Alarain relaxed at that, though she still wondered why Sam would name the nice creature after that monster of a man.

Lord Elrond laughed. "Why not. Of course you can bring him Sam!" he chuckled merrily.

_Hmmm... I've never seen him so jolly before, _Alarain commented in her head._  
_

Sam smiled. "Thank you milord."

Smiling, Lord Elrond turned his attention back to the whole room. "As I was saying, you have until the day after tomorrow to pack all your belongings for the journey. The kitchens will prepare the food and you will receive it shortly before your departure." With that, he dismissed everyone but Gandalf, and Alarain went on her way.

"Pardon me milady, but would you care to join me for a stroll in the gardens?"

Alarain turned to find Legolas grinned back at her. "Only if you don't abandon me to find my own way back." she said, still not having forgiven him for that.

"I make no promises." he teased. "And anyways, I knew Aragorn was there."

She rolled her eyes, but let him lead her outside. They wandered among the foliage for a while before Legolas broke the silence. "So, how do you feel about this journey that we are about to partake in?" he asked.

For a moment Alarain thought he was teasing, but looking up at him, she saw that he was serious. She thought for a moment. "Well..." she began. "It is defiantly not something to be taken lightly." Pausing, she thought of how to put into words what she meant. "I'm a little worried."

"What about?" the elf asked.

"It is going to be dangerous and I don't wish for any of my friends to... I don't want anything bad to happen to my friends." she admitted, looking at her feet.

Legolas was quite for a moment. "You're right. It will be dangerous, and that is unavoidable." He continued. "But don't let yourself worry for our safety. You'll be no use to us if you do nothing but mope about our wellbeing." he joked.

That brought Alarain out of her blues and she stuck her tongue out at him childishly.

He laughed. "I must be going. I have bows that need packing." Trotting away, he called a farewell back to her before disappearing in the undergrowth.

Smiling to herself, Alarain decided to go and start packing her things as well. On her way to her room, she came across a worried looking hobbit. Frodo was leaning on a railing, staring down at a waterfall with his hand in his pocket.

"Frodo?" she asked. He didn't answer, so she tried again. "Frodo, is everything alright?"

Finally seeming to hear her, he nodded. "Yes. I'm okay." he answered quietly. He turned to her suddenly. "Do you think I can do this?"

Alarain was startled. She had never thought of how the hobbit must feel. He had the the safety of Middle-earth resting on his shoulders and he had barely even begun to see the world outside of the Shire. "I believe that you can. You survived the Nazgul, and I think you can survive this." she comforted.

Her efforts seemed to work and Frodo gave her a tiny smile. "Thank you Alarain. We haven't known each other for long, but I'm glad you're coming."

"I'm glad I'm coming too." she said, patting his shoulder. "Now I must go, for I need to start packing for said journey." With that, they said goodbye and she headed off to her room.

The next afternoon, all packing was arranged and moods were tense. Everyone seemed to thinking of tomorrow's departure. Merry and Pippin weren't disrupting every elf in sight, and even Brenir was quiet.

Alarain eventually wandered into the forest, hoping to escape the anxious atmosphere. Meandering through the trees, she spotted a rabbit and decided to follow it. Sneaking up behind the furry creature, her fun was ruined when it caught her scent and shot away down a hole. She frowned in disappointment and wandered away again. Finding an ant hill, she watched the little insects as they hurried about their business, knowing nothing of the outside world, but she quickly became bored at the life of an ant and left them in peace.

Shortly before her woodland adventures, she had gotten hold of some horsehair from the stables, and settling herself down in some moss below a tree, she started braiding it together. They were mostly a lovely brown colour but she had managed to get her hands on some whitish-gray hairs as well. After a moment, she started humming to herself. Her voice floated aimlessly through the trees and landed on the ears of a nearby deer. It swished its tail in thought before wandering to munch on a nearby patch of grass, suddenly springing away as it discovered that it was not the only soul nearby. A certain ranger had also decided to escape to the peace of the forest, and he too had heard the drifting voice. Making his way quietly through the underbrush, he crouched down behind a log and peeked out at her.

The woman paused in her tune when she felt a presence behind her. Knowing he had been discovered, Aragorn sauntered over and settled down in the moss on her right. She turned her gaze on him accusingly. "Were you listening to me?" she asked.

He gave her a hint of a smile. "Yes." he said. "You have a lovely voice."

She blushed. "Thank you. I don't usually let anyone hear it."

"You should. I like it." Aragorn said, eyes wandering across her face.

She could feel his gaze on her which caused her cheeks to heat up even more. Being as shy about her voice as she was, Alarain didn't know how she felt about him hearing it. Trying to ignore the man beside her, she went back to her braiding. There was only enough hair to make a bracelet and she was nearly done already. Finishing, she tied it in a circle and admired her work.

Aragorn suddenly reached over and took her arm. Pushing up her sleeve, he studied the scar that was there. Looking at him questioningly, she tried to pull her arm away, but he held it firm. His eyes raised to hers, and the look she saw in them calmed her immediately. He lowered his gaze back down to her scar and traced it with his fingers. The skin on the hand shaped mark was bumpy and gnarled, and the white discolouration could still be seen, though it had faded to some extent.

He paused in his tracing and his eyes grew dark. "I still cannot understand why Saruman would turn against us." he whispered, half to himself. "Nor how he could do this to someone." Frowning, he continued. "How could he inflict this kind of pain..."

Alarain's mind wandered, her thoughts much the same. _How could he live with himself? I couldn't. The guilt would eat me alive. __  
_

"You still wish to come?" Aragorn asked suddenly, straightening up, though not letting go of her arm. "With the fellowship?"

She returned his gaze wearily. "Yes. Of course I do." she said, knowing that he wished for her to change her mind.

Aragorn nodded. "You don't have to." he tried again.

Sending him a 'don't you dare try that again' look, she pulled her arm back. Aragorn sighed. "Yes, I know. You're still coming." he grumbled.

Leaning back on the tree behind her, Alarain watched the ranger.

He turned to her again. "Are you scared?" he asked.

She was surprised by the question, but answered truthfully. "Yes." she said a quite voice, avoiding his eyes.

He leaned back as well, and after a moment, spoke again. "I am too."

Alarain turned her head to look up at him. He was staring off into the forest, not at anything in particular, looking rather worried. She smiled at the man who usually would never admit to being afraid, and scooted closer in the hopes of comforting him. Aragorn glanced down at her, but didn't speak. They sat in peaceful silence, listening to the birds and crickets for a while. The sun was low now and it streamed through the trees, causing Alarain's hair to light up in beautiful golden shades. After a moment, she took Aragorn's arm and slid the horsehair bracelet onto his wrist. He looked down at it and smiled before he looked up at Alarain and raised his eyebrow.

"What?" she asked, giggling.

"Nothing." he grinned. "You'd better take this away now if you want it back, or I may keep it."

Alarain laughed. "Go ahead. It's your's."

"Thank you Alarain." he said, looking at it as if it was some sort of beautiful glowing white jewel.

Afternoon had turned to evening and they wandered back to the houses slowly, enjoying each others company. When Aragorn had said goodnight at her doorway, she saw him smile down at the bracelet one more time as he turned to leave. She had pleasant dreams that night.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello all! I don't usually write anything up here because I just like to get on with the story, but I thought I should say that I really appreciate all the kind things people have said about my story. I don't know where it's going and I don't know where it'll end up, but I hope you enjoy the journey! Thank you! ;)**

* * *

It was time. The fellowship was gathered on a path that led out of Rivendell and were all facing Lord Elrond, waiting for him to speak. Alarain stood beside Sam where he held Bill's lead rope. She was dressed in her ranger garb once again, and had her sword strapped to her waist. Along with the blade at her side, she also carried a bow and quiver on her back.

Lord Elrond began. "The Ringbearer is setting out on a quest to Mount Doom." He cast his gaze slowly over the faces of the fellowship and continued. "To you who travel with him, no oath nor bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose, and may the blessings of elves, and men, and all free folk go with you."

Alarain bowed her head in respect for the wise elf in front of her. She then turned and gave Arwen a smile and nod. Arwen smiled back and sent her a small wave. They had already said their goodbyes earlier so nothing more was needed.

"The fellowship awaits the Ringbearer." Gandalf said, watching Frodo with kind old eyes.

The hobbit turned slowly, and made his way past the wizard, heading out onto the path. Following, she heard him ask in a whisper, "Mordor, Gandalf. Is it left or right?" Smiling, she heard the wizard answer. "Left." he said, also whispering.

First, they had to make their way across grand bridges that led over spectacular, rushing waterfalls before finally leaving the safety of Rivendell. Alarain paused on a hill and let the others pass as she took one last look back at the place that had become her home. Her stomach twisted with worry for the journey, but she turned when she heard Aragorn call her name. He was waiting for her, and when she caught up, he walked by her side in silence. Both their minds were on the same thing. What was to come?

Heading south along the west side of the Misty Mountains, the travelers were very quite for the first day. Only when darkness started to fall and it was time to make camp did they speak. Alarain and Boromir were sent out into the forest to collect firewood and only once they had entered the cover of the canopy did Boromir break the silence.

"So you are from Rohan?" he asked curiously.

Gathering some kindling in her arms, Alarain answered. "Yes. I've been away for quite a while and have missed it. I got my chance to return, while also staying with my friends for some time longer."

Boromir nodded in understanding. "Do you have family waiting for you?" he inquired again.

"No." she said simply, not giving any more information. Alarain wasn't in the mood to discuss her life troubles with this man.

He didn't press for more but continued picking up small logs. "How did you know about this quest?"

Alarain paused. "I... uh... I saw the council." she confessed, not quite sure why she was telling him this.

Boromir turned to her with raised eyebrows. "You were spying?"

"Hey, don't look at me like that. I wasn't the only one. Might I remind you that three certain hobbits were spying as well."

He grinned. "You weren't hiding in the bushes near my chair were you?" he said, grin widening.

Alarain stared at him for a moment. "How did you..."

"I may have seen you." he chuckled. Crouching down, he continued collecting wood.

She watched him, eyes narrowed. "Why didn't you give me away?" she asked with interest.

He shrugged. "I was busy."

Alarain rolled her eyes, not believing his reason one bit. She started to help him again and neither said more on the subject.

They returned to camp with plenty of wood in their arms. A fire was started, food was cooked, and everyone ate. Night had fallen and the sounds of the wild were all around them. An owl gave out an eerie cry nearby making Alarain shiver. Brenir stared out in the forest, listening for danger, and Legolas too was alert. The hobbits soon curled up beside each other and fell asleep under the watchful eyes of Gandalf. Gimli sat smoking his pipe thoughtfully nearby. The owl hooted again and Brenir got up to move closer to Alarain. She smiled at her fearful hound as he tried to hide behind her.

After some time, Gimli lay down as well, mumbling something about a stupid bird as the owl continued calling. Alarain looked across camp and her eyes came to rest on Aragorn, who at the moment was staring into the flames of the campfire. As soon as she looked at him, his eyes shot up to meet her gaze. She glanced back down, hoping he did not see her tremble as the owl gave an especially spooky screech. Boromir was the next one to turn in, followed by Gandalf. Legolas wandered over to his blanket as well, though unknown to the others, he did not fall asleep right away. Barely a moment passed before Aragorn rose and made his way over to sit beside her.

"Are you cold?" he whispered.

Alarain sighed. He did notice. "I'm fine." she assured him.

Not believing her, he draped a blanket over her shoulders. She gave him a hint of a smile and he spoke again. "You should get some sleep. It was a long day." He watched her, eyes filled with worry.

He was right. Her muscles ached from all the walking and her eyelids drooped with fatigue. "I'm fine." She yawned. "What? It's natural to be tired at night." she said when he gave her a 'you are exhausted so go to bed' look. He didn't stop, so she gave in. Lying down on her side, she watched as he got up again and wandered to the edge of camp. Alarain continued to watch him until she happened to glance over at Legolas to find he was awake. He was smirking at her with raised eyebrows, and she quickly turned to her other side wondering what that look was for. She soon fell into a dreamless sleep.

They were off bright and early the next day, and Gimli immediately started grumbling about owls. Legolas fumed with frustration at the dwarf's rambling, keeping as far from him as possible. Alarain walked with Sam and Bill for a while, before quickly falling behind. She was not used to this kind of exercise and was struggling to keep pace with the others. Boromir stopped and waited for her to catch up. Passing him, she started giggling when she felt him start to push her up the hill. At the top, she thanked him breathlessly, pausing for a rest.

He exaggerated a bow and replied. "My pleasure milady. I just love pushing people up hills." She laughed at his antics and they continued on.

Many days passed, and Alarain slowly became more accustomed to the constant walking, though she still could not keep up without panting. Aragorn continued to watch her with concern, but she brushed it off and ignored his looks. She often found herself walking with Gimli, for he too could not keep up as well with the others. He would go on and on about his home and grand caves and mines, but Alarain didn't mind. It was nice to just listen to him. Being with Gimli so often though, meant that she didn't spent as much time with Legolas as she would have liked. He stayed mostly at the front with Gandalf, far from the dwarf.

On one particular day, the group was taking a much needed rest on a hilltop. The sun beat down on the rocks and Alarain was lying on one, warming herself. The sun felt good on her face after many cold nights. Gimli was arguing with Gandalf nearby about which road they should take, and Boromir was sword fighting Merry and Pippin.

"Ah!" Pippin yelled all of a sudden and Alarain sat up to see what happened.

"Sorry!" Boromir exclaimed, about to check Pippin's hand. However, before he could, the hobbit kicked him in the shin and Merry whacked him with the side of his sword causing Boromir to fall backwards. They tackled the poor man and held him down, laughing all the while. Alarain smiled at the scene and turned to see a grinning Aragorn get to his feet. _This will probably not end well for him, _she thought with amusement.

"Gentlemen that is enough." he said. And sure enough, when he strode over to pry the hobbits off the Gondorian, they grabbed the backs of his legs and flipped him on his back as well. Alarain couldn't contain herself and burst out laughing. _Imagine that! Merry and Pippin taking on Aragorn and winning!_

"What is that?" Sam asked from behind her. She turned to look for what he had seen and spotted a dark cloud in the distance.

"Nothing." Gimli dismissed. "It's just a wisp of cloud."

The men and hobbits had gotten up to look as well and Boromir spoke. "It's moving fast... and against the wind." he observed, suspicion in his eyes.

Legolas had been staring at shape, trying to figure out what it was with his elf eyes. "Crebain from Dunland!" he suddenly yelled.

"Hide!" Aragorn ordered, though he didn't need to, for everyone was already up and grabbing supplies. One by one they disappeared into the landscape, hiding under bushes and rocks.

Alarain snatched up a pack before she felt an arm around her waist. She let out a little yelp of surprise, but another hand clamped around her mouth. She was pulled into the underbrush and heard Aragorn's voice at her ear. "Don't make a sound." he whispered. He took his hand off her mouth and she nodded.

They heard nothing for a moment, but then the cries came. Alarain felt the arm of the man behind her tighten around her waist ever so slightly, and almost... protectively. The birds swooped over the hill and made a wide arc, turning back and flying away in the direction they came. When their cries could be heard no longer, the fellowship slowly started to reappear. Aragorn let go of her and they crawled out from under the bush.

"Spies of Saruman." Gandalf stated, and her mouth became dry at the name. "The passage south is being watched." he continued. Turning, he looked up at the mountains to east. "We must take the paths of Caradhras!" he declared.

All eyes turned to the mountain and Alarain swallowed hard. _It looks quite high, and cold, and steep, and windy. _Aragorn noticed the look on her face and gave her shoulder a comforting pat before striding away to fetch his pack.


	10. Chapter 10

The wind blew cold flakes of snow on her face as Alarain climbed. The path was steep and she was struggling for breath. When she would breathe in, the freezing air would dry her throat causing her to swallow, which in turn made her gasp for air. Her legs were aching and she couldn't count how many times she had slipped. The worst part was that they weren't even very far up yet. She glanced down at Brenir and immediately felt guilty. He too was not doing very well. He had become slimmer and his fur was all matted. The poor dog was still quite active though.

Aragorn was plodding along behind her, waiting to catch her if she fell again, and he too was panting heavily. Alarain tried to amuse herself and take her mind off all her aches and pains by watching her breath as in came out in puffs. She would try, unsuccessfully, to make it into a circle like Gandalf did when he smoked.

Legolas was up ahead scouting, and she felt awfully jealous whenever she saw him walking peacefully on top of the snow when she had to shove her way through it. Well, not completely. Everyone in front of her was having more trouble than she, and Boromir was being nice enough as to try and create a wide path for everyone behind him. She felt quite bad for him, puffing along with that huge shield on his back. Alarain then turned her eyes to the hobbit in front of her. Frodo was also having a hard time getting up the hill without falling. He was stumbling along almost as if he wasn't really paying attention to where he was putting his feet. He paused for a rest and as the woman passed him, she gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder. Aragorn waited with Frodo and Alarain caught up with Boromir.

"You really don't have to do that." she said through her panting.

He turned to her, eyes questioning.

"You don't need to clear a path for us." she replied, gesturing to the travelers behind her.

He raised his eyebrows at her. "If you say so." he said rolling his eyes at the exhausted woman.

She sent him a silly glare and continued on, shoving past him as she did. He laughed at her behaviour before trudging after her.

Hearing a grunt from behind them, they looked back to see Frodo rolling down the slope. Aragorn caught him and helped him to his feet. Seeing that he was fine, Alarain continued on, but turned again when she heard a small jingling sound. Boromir stood some ways down the mountain from her and was holding something in his hand that shone brightly in the sun. _The Ring. _Aragorn and Frodo were staring at him, worry and suspicion in their eyes, and the other members of the fellowship stopped as well, watching the scene intently.

"Boromir." Aragorn said quietly.

The Gondorian took no notice. He was watching the Ring as it dangled in the air, and his eyes had changed somehow. A cold, greedy look came across his face, and he started whispering to himself. "It is a strange fate, that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing... such a little thing." His other hand slowly raised until he was almost touching it.

"Boromir!" Aragorn snapped, louder this time, and with more authority.

He was startled out of his trance and looked around, slightly confused.

"Give the Ring to Frodo." The ranger's voice had grown dangerous and his hand rested on the sword strapped to his side.

Watching Boromir, she almost thought he wasn't going to give it back, but he made his way slowly down the hill and held out the Ring for Frodo. "As you wish." he said. "I care not." The hobbit snatched it out of his hand and put it back into place around his neck. Boromir smiled, ruffled Frodo's hair playfully and pushed on up the slope.

Alarain let him pass and waited for Aragorn. As he came up beside her, she saw the dark look in his eyes and wondered what he would have done had Boromir not returned it. She stayed close to him for some while, not really wanting to walk with Boromir after that.

Slowly but steadily, the group made their way up the mountain, and the weather grew more and more hazardous as they climbed. Alarain's fingers were starting to feel unresponsive and her her eyes stung as the wind constantly blew snow into them and clouded her vision. She tried, but failed to not look down the cliff to their right, and her stomach flipped with fear as the blizzard became worse when darkness started to fall.

Boromir and Aragorn both carried two hobbits each while Gimli tugged the pony along. Gandalf was in the front, pushing through the snow with determination and his staff, with Legolas walking easily on the snow beside them. Alarain was at the back, occasionally leaning on the rump of the pony to keep him going, while Brenir shivered at her side, letting out a weak whine here and there. Snowballs clung to his dark brown coat, slowing him down with their weight, and she eventually picked him up before continuing after Bill. The dog was a welcome heat source and he seemed to enjoy it as well, though she struggled to hold him up with her frozen fingers. Also, he wasn't exactly a small dog.

Legolas suddenly shouted something from the front, though she couldn't hear him through the wind crashing murderously by her ears.

"It's Saruman!" Gandalf yelled, and this time she heard.

Not a moment after his warning, a great crack sounded from above. Looking up into the storm, her eyes widened when she saw that the snow on the peak had started to crumble. Everyone launched themselves against the side of the mountain as enormous chunks of packed snow fell down and headed straight for them.

Alarain crouched down with Brenir under her body just before she felt the impact. It seemed as if lifetimes passed before she felt the snow calm itself around her and opened her eyes to darkness. Brenir struggled under her, panicking when he realized what had happened. She too started to panic when finding she could hardly breathe. Her frozen hands scrapped at the snow above them but that only resulted in more falling in on her face. Brenir ceased his wiggling and her heart skipped in fear. _Please be okay,_ she thought, tears threatening to fall.

Light suddenly flooded into her cave and strong hands reached in, lifting her up. She yelled for Brenir, but Aragorn and Boromir held her back and watched as Legolas reached in again, bringing the dog out in his arms. Brenir was still, and his eyes were closed. This time, tears did fall.

"Is he...?" she started to ask.

"No." Legolas interrupted. "But he may be soon if we don't get off this mountain."

The hobbits looked terrified as they took in the unmoving dog. They had grown close to him and none wished him dead. Gandalf quickly led the way back, heading down the mountain. Shaking with cold, worry and fear, Alarain followed after the others. Aragorn hovered by her side now that the hobbits were walking.

"You're freezing." he said, worry dripping from his voice.

"Of course I'm freezing! Everyone's freezing!" she snapped. Looking at him, she saw hurt in his eyes. "I'm sorry." she said as more tears fell. She glanced at the ground as she lost her balance.

The ranger caught her arm and steadied her. "It's fine. I know you're worried about Brenir."

Catching her when she slipped again, Aragorn scooped her up in his arms. She frowned but didn't have the energy to protest. Instead, she rested her tired head on his chest and fell into a deep sleep.

Waking, Alarain opened her eyes and blinked. She sat up and took in her surroundings. It was dark. They had left the mountain and were now huddled in as small patch of trees with a campfire blazing in the middle.

In a flash, Aragorn was at her side. "Drink this." he ordered, handing her a canteen.

She tilted it to her mouth and water poured in. _I never knew water could taste so good, _she thought gratefully. Sighing as she finished, she handed him back the container.

"How do you feel?" he asked, checking her pulse.

Alarain brushed off his pestering. "I'm fine." She almost didn't want to ask, but she had to know. "Brenir?"

Aragorn smiled. "He's alright." He pointed across camp to a brown lump of fur surrounded by curly haired hobbits. "He had almost stopped breathing, but once we got him close to a fire and covered in hobbits, he woke up. He's sleeping now, but he had a little to eat and drink when he was awake." Aragorn told her.

Sighing with relief, Alarain leaned back on the tree behind her. The ranger watched her for a moment before he spoke again. "Everyone was more worried for you I think." She looked at him questioningly, and he continued. "You're heartbeat had gotten very slow, and you didn't awaken when we tried to rouse you." His eyes didn't move from her and she stared back, only just realizing how close she had come to death.

Looking away from his gaze, she moved her stare to the fire. "We didn't make it over the mountain. Where do we go now?" she asked, turning back to him.

He moved closer, leaning on the tree as well. "It has been decided that we are to go through the Mines of Moria."

"What's that?" she asked.

"It's a dwarf city. It leads under the mountains."

She smiled. "Well, that sounds better than going over."

Aragorn didn't reply, but continued to gaze into the flames.

"I am sorry I snapped at you." she said sincerely, guilt coming over her.

He smiled kindly. "I know."

They said no more, and she looked up through the treetops at the sky, admiring the thousands of beautiful, bright stars. Before long, she grew tired again and her eyelids grew heavy. Head resting on the ranger's shoulder, she felt soft lips on her head and a whispered 'goodnight' before she fell into a dream.


	11. Chapter 11

It was a couple days after the disaster on the mountain and the fellowship was now making it's way along the base of the mountain in search of Moria. They had been climbing over and around rocks for the whole day, and Alarain's feet were starting to cause her extreme pain. It was a dismal place, with barely a plant in sight and vast rock formations far in every direction. Gimli seemed happy enough among the stones and boulders though. He was going on about the hospitality of the dwarves and great halls and such. Alarain was walking beside him and he was in the middle of telling her about beer when he stopped all of a sudden.

"The walls... of Moria." he breathed, pointing up ahead.

Alarain raised her eyes in wonder at the great cliff in front of them. It stretched far up into the sky and she felt like an insect standing next to it. Glancing at Gimli, she noticed he had a proud look in his eyes when he saw the reaction of the group.

They continued on along the walls after the moment of admiration and soon came to a lake. It was a large lake with dark water and a few twisted trees growing at it's edge. Alarain felt trapped walking in between the cliff on her left and lake on her right, but with Aragorn watching, she didn't show hear fear.

"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gimli informed the group, tapping on the cliff with his axe as if searching for said doors.

Gandalf said something up ahead and Legolas smirked. "Why doesn't that surprise me." he said sarcastically. Gimli growled under his breath beside her and she giggled.

Pausing beside an especially flat part of the wall, Gandalf began muttering to himself. Still muttering, he looked up at the moon and as he did, the clouds shifted and the moonlight shone through. It landed on the wall and it lit up with intricate lines. The glowing grooves formed the shape of a door and the wizard stood back smiling, and admiring his find.

He then stepped forward and spoke. "It reads... **The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak friend and enter**."

"What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked.

"Oh it's quite simple." Gandalf answered. "If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open." He then pressed his staff to the glowing lines and spoke some words in another language.

Nothing happened...

He tried again, this time, standing back and raising his arms to the doors.

Again, nothing happened...

The fellowship exchanged nervous glances with each other. "Nothing is happening." Pippin stated obviously.

Gandalf then took drastic measures... and pushed on the door, grunting with effort. "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of elves, men, and orcs." he grumbled roughly.

"What are you going to do then?" Pippin asked innocently.

"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took!" the wizard snapped. "And if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words." he sighed, turning his attention back to the doors.

Pippin recoiled in surprise. Walking over to him, she and Merry lead the poor hobbit away from Gandalf. They settled down to wait beside the lake, and Gandalf continued his muttering. Soon everyone had settled in, and Alarain got up to join Sam and Aragorn as they relieved Bill from his packs.

"The mines are no place for a pony, even one so brave as Bill." the ranger said to Sam.

The hobbit still looked depressed at parting from Bill, so she tried to cheer him up. "Brave old Bill will be fine Sam. He's the bravest pony I've ever met, and being from Rohan, I've met a lot of ponies." she said from behind him.

He gave a little smile. "I know he will. Bu-bye Bill." he said to the pony as they slipped his halter off.

"Go on Bill." Aragorn said as he turned the pony around, giving him a small pat on the rump as he wandered away. "Go on." Turning back to the hobbit, he comforted him. "Don't worry Sam. He knows the way home."

Alarain watched Bill walk away, but looked around at the sound of a splash just in time to see Aragorn grab a hold of Pippin's shoulder. "Do not disturb the water." he spoke in a low voice, looking out at the lake with suspicion in his eyes.

Alarain cast her gaze across the lake as well only to be left with a horrible feeling in her gut. Boromir stood and walked to her side, also staring out at the body of water. The ripples from the rock Merry had thrown seemed to keep going, almost as if it wasn't the rock that caused them. Most were watching the water and no one noticed when Frodo got up to look at the doors.

"What's the elvish word for friend?" Frodo asked loudly.

Alarain did not turn from the water, but she heard Gandalf's answer. "Mellon."

A large crack sounded and, swinging about, the group saw that the doors had opened. Staring in amazement, Alarain followed the others into the dark inside.

"Soon Master elf." Gimli said to Legolas. "You will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the dwarves. Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone!"

Gandalf blew on his staff and Alarain watched in interest as the tip lit up brightly.

"This, my friend, is the home of my cousin, Balin." Gimli continued.

Alarain glanced around in the minimal light and her eyes widened at what they saw. Brenir let out a low growl and his hackles stood on end.

Not noticing the floor, Gimli kept going. "And they call it a mine! A mine!" he laughed to himself.

"This is no mine." Boromir said darkly at her side. "It's a tomb."

All eyes shot to the ground and the hobbits leaped back from a body. The body of a dwarf. All around them were decaying bodies covered in cobwebs and with arrows protruding from them. Alarain felt sick as she looked upon the exposed skulls, rotting teeth, twisted jaws, and empty eye sockets. Backing up, she felt Boromir's hand on her arm before he pushed her behind him. Gimli cried out in despair at the scene before them, and Legolas bent down and yanked an arrow from a body. Sniffing the arrow, Brenir growled again, but louder this time.

"Goblins." the elf said before throwing it down in disgust.

Boromir unsheathed his sword in front of her as Aragorn did the same. Legolas readied his bow and Boromir spoke. "We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here." he said, repulsion in his voice, though she could hear some fear mixed in. "Now get out of here! Get out!" he yelled as they all began to back out of the mine.

A yell sounded from behind them and as she swung around, Alarain saw Frodo being dragged into the lake by a huge tentacle. Her eyes widened and she froze in fear.

"Strider!" Sam shouted as the hobbits tried to grab a hold of Frodo.

Aragorn's head whipped around and he sprang into action. Sam started hacking at the thing with his sword as Boromir ran past her to help. With a huge slice, Sam managed to get it to let go of Frodo, and Merry and Pippin dragged him back from the water. Aragorn and Boromir paused in relief as the hobbits calmed themselves.

But before Alarain could say 'watch out for the creepy tentacle monster', many more slimy arms burst out of the water. Knocking the other hobbits away, one curled around Frodo and hauled him into the air. He screamed for help as Legolas sprang past her and let an arrow fly. It planted itself deep into the flesh of the creature, but it did not stop it. Aragorn and Boromir jumped into the water and began hacking at the tentacles. Alarain stared at the scene unfolding in front of her, but her legs could not move and her heart was pounding. She was terrified. Gimli waded some ways into the water as well, and sunk his axe into the monster. All of a sudden, Aragorn slashed the tentacle holding the hobbit and he fell through the air and into Boromir's arms.

"Into the mines!" Gandalf yelled from behind her as Brenir turned and ran, yelping, with his half-tail between his legs.

Gimli ran past her, ushering the hobbits inside as Legolas, and Boromir carrying Frodo, ran in as well. Alarain was petrified, but her legs would not respond as she stared in horror at the monster as it dragged itself towards her. Aragorn crashed into her, bringing the woman to her senses and pushed her inside.

The creature hauled itself out of the water by grabbing onto the doorway with it's long slimy appendages, and the rocks started to crumble under it's weight. The fellowship ran as far from the doors as they could before it started to collapse. Aragorn pushed her against a wall and blocked her from the crashing debris with his body as the door disappeared and they were plunged into darkness.

As the dust settled, all was silent except for the heavy breathing of those present.

"We now have but one choice." came Gandalf's voice out of the dark. A tap sounded and his staff blazed to life, lighting up the hall. Aragorn stepped away from her, giving her yet another worried look as Gandalf continued. "We must face the long dark... of Moria..." The wizard started forward and the others followed slowly, peering around them. "Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world." he said darkly.

Brenir slunk up to Alarain and shoved his nose under her hand, looking for comfort. She scratched his muzzle for a brief moment before shakily walking after the wizard. Aragorn watched her as she made her way past him, walking at her shoulder when he saw her trembling.

"Are you hurt?" he whispered.

She shook her head and watched the floor, ashamed that she had not been brave enough to help when the beast in the water had attacked.

"Quietly now. It is a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that out presence may go unnoticed." Gandalf whispered loudly to the group.

Making their way up the wide staircase in front of them, Alarain missed a step and fell to her knees. Legolas was just ahead of them, and he turned to see if she was alright, but Aragorn waved him away and helped her to her feet. He took her hand and kept it, steadying her when she was unbalanced and catching her when she fell. They walked this way for some time, and the fellowship was quiet.

Alarain and the ranger were farther from the group, though still within the reach of the light of Gandalf's staff, and the others would occasionally glance back to check that they were still there. She almost forgot where she was as her mind wandered, taking her back to her home.

They walked quickly and quietly over small pathways that led through humongous caves and Alarain's stomach twisted as she glanced over the edge. Aragorn squeezed her hand and she calmed. Glancing up at him, her lips turned up a tiny bit, and she thanked him silently. He gave her a slight nod, and she looked ahead again to see Legolas giving her a knowing smile. She raised an eyebrow at him and her turned his back and continued on.

Gandalf stopped on a small path beside a ledge and spoke. "The wealth of Moria was not in gold or jewels." he said, touching the stone wall. He then turned to Legolas behind him. "But mithril." He looked down over the edge and his staff shone brighter, reveling the vast ladders and chains that were used in mining the mithril. The light also reveled the great fall that one could experience if they slipped.

As the others looked down in amazement, Alarain pressed herself closer to the wall. Aragorn felt her hand pull away from the edge and he too, stepped back, placing himself in between her and the immense crevice. Her throat tightened when she saw her dog take a step forward to look. He glanced back, sensing her unease before he backed up as well. She relaxed somewhat and the fellowship pressed on. Gandalf kept talking, probably attempting to keep the atmosphere calm. He spoke of a set of mithril armour that Frodo's uncle had been given by a dwarf. Soon, he fell silent again.

What seemed to be lifetimes passed as they journeyed. With each step, Alarain grew more exhausted and it was only the pull of Aragorn's hand that kept her going. Climbing up a steep staircase, she tripped a few times only to be helped up by the ranger and then trip again a few steps later.

When they finally reached the top, Gandalf stopped and stared at three different passageways, confusion in his eyes. "I have no memory of this place." he admitted quietly.

Sighing with relief, Alarain collapsed and lay where she fell. Aragorn crouched at her side, but she pushed him away. "Let me sleep." she grumbled. The others snickered at her as they too sunk to the ground. Brenir plopped down beside her and fell asleep immediately. She soon joined him.


	12. Chapter 12

"Wake up Alarain."

She turned her back to Aragorn's voice, hoping it was just a dream. Much to her disappointment though, he insisted in her rising. Getting to her sore feet she looked up to see Gandalf leading the way down one of the tunnels.

"If in doubt Meriadoc, always follow your nose." She heard him say from the front.

Alarain trudged after him, turned her gaze down when she felt a tug on her cloak. Sam was walking beside her, looking rather suspicious. "Your feet are hurting, aren't they milady?" he whispered.

She nodded guiltily before whispering back. "I'll be fine. Please, don't say anything to Aragorn." she glanced back at the ranger. "He'll insist we stop when he knows we must continue."

Sam looked reluctant, but nodded slowly. "If you're sure." he said quietly.

Nodding, she concentrated on walking without giving away the pain she was in. They soon came to the end of the small passageway, and as they walked further into the darkness, the light of Gandalf's staff grew bright. Alarain gasped at what she saw, completely forgetting her throbbing feet.

"Behold, the great realm of the dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf." the wizard breathed as he too took in the great room.

Massive pillars stretched into the distance above them, elaborate patterns carved into the stone they were made from. Staring straight ahead, Alarain couldn't even see the other side of the giant room, the expanse was so great. The air also felt not so compressed as it had in the smaller tunnels and Alarain breathed it in. _Not as nice as fresh air from outside, but better than nothing, _she thought.

"Well there's an eye opener and no mistake." Sam said with amazement.

Walking among the pillars, Alarain couldn't take her eyes off them and she walked with her head bent back, staring up in awe.

Gimli suddenly let out a surprised grunt and jogged away, Brenir following at his heels. Gandalf called for him to come back, but he took no notice. Tearing her eyes away from the grand stone structures, she looked for Gimli, but saw a dead dwarf instead. She jumped back slightly at it's mutilated features and gulped. Many more bodies lay scattered around a doorway that Gimli had just disappeared through.

The fellowship hurried to follow him and rushed inside. Once through the doorway, they slowed at what they saw. Gimli was on his knees with his head bent down, sobbing to himself in front of a large stone coffin. Light streamed in from a opening in the ceiling and landed on the casket.

"Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria." Gandalf read from the dwarvish inscription on the top. "He is dead then." he said sadly, taking off his pointed hat. "It's as I feared."

The poor dwarf continued crying as Gandalf turned to something on the floor. Handing Pippin his hat and staff to hold, he carefully picked an old book out of the hands of a corpse and blew the dust off it.

"We must move on." Legolas whispered to Aragorn beside her. "We cannot linger." She too felt the need to leave. The bodies littering the floor were making her feel queasy.

"They have taken the bridge, and the second hall." Gandalf's voice was low as he read from the book. "We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long." Alarain's stomach tightened and she felt the hair on the back of her neck start to rise. Gandalf continued. "The ground shakes. Drums... drums... in the deep." He paused and looked up at the frightened people around him. Turning the page, he kept reading. "We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out." Alarain unknowingly moved closer to the ranger at her side, looking for comfort. "They are coming." Gandalf finished.

A loud crash came out of nowhere and she almost jumped out of her skin. Brenir yelped in surprise and they all turned to look at the culprit. Pippin stood by a well, looking rather shaken as a headless skeleton started to slip. It plunged down into the well and was followed by a chain, which was attached to a bucket. Alarain and Pippin flinched at every thundering noise that erupted from the hole. Her heart also jumped at every sound, and she felt Aragorn's hand on her arm, attempting to comfort her.

The echoes started to fade and Gandalf walked slowly over to the halfling. Aragorn breathed a sigh of relief when no other sounds followed and the entire fellowship seemed to relax.

The wizard suddenly slammed the book shut, causing her to jump again. "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" he snapped, snatching his hat and staff out of Pippin's hands.

Pippin looked at the floor, knowing he had made a mistake, and feeling terrible for it.

**Boom...**

Everyone froze, then turned their wide eyes to the well.

**Boom... Boom boom...****  
**

The horrible drums did not stop and Alarain's eyes started to tear up with terror. Her heart felt like it was in her throat and she grabbed onto the closest arm, which happened to be Aragorn's. Next came the screeches.

The sounds grew louder and Sam spoke. "Frodo!" he said, pointing his side. The Ringbearer half unsheathed his sword, only to see that the blade was glowing blue.

_Why is it glowing?__  
_

"Orcs!" Legolas spat as Brenir let out a deep growl.

_Oh... alright...__  
_

Boromir dashed to the doorway and glanced out before pulling his head back abruptly. Two arrows buried themselves deep into the wood of the door where his face had been and he sent them a glare before springing into action.

"Get back!" Aragorn ordered. "Stay close to Gandalf!" He then ran to help Boromir.

Gandalf herded the hobbits and Alarain further back from the entrance as the men pushed it closed.

A loud bellow sounded and Boromir leaned against the door before turning to the others. "They have a cave troll." he said, almost sarcastically.

Legolas tossed them some axes that were lying around, and Boromir and Aragorn used them to bar the gates closed. Standing back, Boromir drew his sword while Aragorn and Legolas drew their bows. Gandalf unsheathed his sword as well, letting out a yell as he did so. The hobbits also had their swords out and ready by the time Alarain came to her senses. She snatched her bow off her back and, remembering the arrow, stood at the ready.

Rattling came from the gates as the orcs and goblins rammed their bodies against it. Brenir shuddered behind her legs, whining in fear.

Gimli growled as he climbed up onto the rock coffin "Let them come!" he said, hate dripping in his voice. "There is one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!"

The halflings beside her trembled with fear as the door groaned louder under the weight of the evil creatures behind it. Not able to stand it any more, her dog ran to the back of the room and crawled under the edge of a rock.

Cracking sounded from the door and made her turn her attention away from the hound under the rock. Dirty, bloody axes and spears started to show through the gates as the monsters chopped. Legolas let an arrow fly as the hole became big enough, and the scream of a goblin echoed through the place.

Alarain's heart was beating madly, but she knew she had to fight. If not for her own life, than for the life of the Ringbearer and all her friends.

Another screech sounded as Aragorn killed a orc through the hole with his arrow. Finally, the doors gave way and the ugly creatures swarmed through. Shutting out all other things, Alarain aimed. Letting the string go, her arrow planted itself into the arm of an orc, making a satisfying sound as it did. She was not too impressed though, for she wasn't very far away from her targets and they were crowding through the entrance so quickly that she was bound to hit something.

Quickly, she dropped her bow and unsheathed her sword. Some orcs were already making it past Gandalf's strong defense and the only thing between them and the hobbits was her. Spotting the woman, one of the creatures grinned a slimy, toothless grin and sprinted for her. As it neared, she raised her sword to block, but it saw and swung to her exposed side. Remembering her lessons, she dropped her sword down and was pushed back at the weight of her opponent as it's blade met hers. Stumbling, she started swinging her sword madly and caught the orc unsuspected. She opened her eyes to see it lying dead on the floor, her sword in it's throat.

Looking up just in time, Alarain thrust her blade forward and into the chest of another enemy. It fell dead as well, but there was no time to congratulate herself, for a small goblin was coming for her. She quickly checked for the hobbits and froze when she saw they were no longer behind her. Ducking a swing from the goblin, she spotted them all amongst the battle.

Turning back to her foe, she felt something hit her left arm and looked down to see blood. Her attention was taken away from the ugly thing again as she stared up in horror. A huge troll carrying a hammer had crashed into the room and was roaring in anger. The goblin swung it's head to see what she was looking at, and she took her opportunity. While it was distracted, she sliced off it's head. Feeling her stomach churn with disgust, she looked for her friends.

Her heart nearly stopped when she saw Boromir fly through the air and smash into the hard stone wall. Seeing an approaching orc, she sprinted away from it, hoping to get to the man lying on the ground before something else. She was relieved to see him getting to his feet when she looked back.

Pain scorched through her as an orc buried it's bloody sword into her leg. She fell to her knees and looked around to see it move on, searching for another victim. Crawling to the edge of the room, she stuck her blade into a nearby orc when it didn't spot her.

_Oh no...__  
_

She pushed off the floor with her hands and rolled out of the way as the troll almost fell on top of her. Edging underneath some rubble, she stuck her hand out and sliced into an orc leg with her sword. Gandalf, who had been fighting it, cut off it's head and glanced down. He nodded quickly before throwing himself back into the battle.

Peeking out, she winced as she saw the troll using it's own chain to swing at Legolas. Trying desperately to think of something that would help, she relaxed slightly when she saw that the elf had trapped the chain around a pillar. Her heart twisted again when he climbed up the chain onto the troll's shoulders. He shot an arrow into it's head before jumping off onto the floor.

Turning her attention back to the troll, Alarain saw it had turned it's attention to Frodo. Aragorn yelled for the hobbit across the room, but he was busy, so Alarain scooted out from her hiding spot and limped towards the creature. The ranger was fighting like mad across from her, also making his way towards the troll. Looking for the hobbit, Alarain burned with anger as she took in the scene. The troll had backed him up into a corner and was attempting to grab the poor hobbit.

She was trying not to think of the pain in her leg, but it would not be ignored. Falling to her knees again, she crawled up behind the troll as Aragorn jumped in front of it. He thrust a huge spear into it's chest and it roared in agony. It dropped it's hammer, and she had to dodge quickly as it landed, causing pain to shoot up her leg. Looking back, her heart stopped as the troll smashed it's arm into Aragorn and sent him flying into a pillar. He landed hard on the ground and did not move.

With all her energy, she climbed to her feet, glaring at the piece of evil in her way. She raised her sword above her head, and was about to sink it into the troll's back, when it rammed the spear that Aragorn had used against it, right into Frodo. Everyone in the room froze as the hobbit sank to the ground, struggling for breathe.

Then, the rage in all came out and they were fighting again, twice as hard as before. Merry and Pippin jumped on the troll and stabbed their small swords into it repeatedly. Alarain snapped out of her currant state, and brought her sword down on the troll's back. It roared as it was pelted with blades, and soon stumbled out of her reach. The thing tried desperately to dislodge the two hobbits on it's back and succeeded in getting Merry off, but Pippin held on.

Alarain turned from the fight and crawled over to the ranger, trying to wake him. Looking back at the battle, her gaze wandered over the bodies on the floor. A low groan sounded and she saw the troll sway dangerously. It fell, sending Pippin flying off and landing heavily on the ground. The troll didn't move and everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Aragorn stirred and opened his eyes. He then crawled stiffly over to Frodo. Alarain followed and watched as he turned the hobbit over. Frodo suddenly let out a groan.

Sam rushed to his side as he sat up. "He's alive." he said, extreme relief in his voice.

"I'm okay." Frodo panted heavily. "I'm not hurt."

"You should be dead." Aragorn breathed. "That spear would have skewered a wild boar!" he exclaimed, staring wide eyed at the hobbit.

Gandalf stepped forward slowly. "I think there's more to this hobbit than meets the eye." he said knowingly.

Frodo slowly opened his shirt to reveal a shining piece of armour. _That must be the armour his uncle had been given, _Alarain thought in amazement.

"Mithril." Gimli whispered in awe. "You are full of surprises Master Baggins!" he smiled.

Their moment of rest was over when the sounds of orcs came again.

"To the bridge of Khazad-dum." Gandalf ordered.

Scrambling to get up, Alarain paused. "Brenir!" she yelled, and was rewarded with the dog's tongue on her hand. He was unhurt, though covered in spattered orc blood.

"Alarain!" Aragorn called, waiting at the doorway.

Using all the energy and willpower she had left, the woman ignored her leg and sprinted after the others. Aragorn ran at her side and Brenir at her feet. Glancing around into the darkness, she saw what would have normally made her freeze with fear. However, only paying attention to where her feet were landing, she did not react to it. Orcs and goblin in the thousands were coming out of the ceiling and the floor and were closing in on the fellowship.

She suddenly felt a pain in her arm which made it's way down to her leg. It overwhelmed her and she tripped. The dog and ranger both screeched to a stop and Aragorn yelled for the others. Frantically searching for the source of the pain, Alarain pushed up her sleeve to see the white hand almost bubbling, though it could have been her imagination. She quickly covered it as the group ran back to her. The monsters were on all sides now, and were closing fast.

Aragorn had his sword at the ready, standing in between her and the creatures, ready to fight to the death. Brenir seemed to have found some courage, and was standing at the ranger's side, growling and barking fiercely.

Looking around, the fear inside her grew rapidly. _This isn't how I want to die!_


	13. Chapter 13

A deep growl from the somewhere in the mines was carried into the grand hall and everyone froze. A bright orange coloured light came through a huge doorway and the orcs and goblins glanced around in fear. The growl came again and the monsters surrounding them screeched and screamed before wildly running off into the depths of the mine.

As Alarain stared at the growing light in the distance, a terrible feeling rose in her gut. She stood shakily, walking to Gandalf's side as Boromir spoke. "What is this new devilry?" he asked the wizard, voice wavering.

Gandalf said nothing for a moment. A louder groan sounded. "A Balrog." he said darkly. "A demon of the ancient world."

_That doesn't sound very good..._

Brenir gave a small whine before Gandalf continued. "This foe is beyond any of you... RUN!" he yelled, taking off with the others close behind him.

The Balrog roared angrily and Alarain forgot her pains. She ran for her life and didn't look back. Brenir was faster than the others and sprinted for the exit.

Gandalf paused at the door and waited until everyone was through before following quickly behind her. Turning a corner that opened into a massive cave, Alarain nearly fell when she almost bumped into the hobbits. They had halted when met with a dead end in the stairs. Boromir and Legolas lay on the staircase by the edge and the elf was hauling the man back up. Glad that Boromir had not fallen, the group continued on down another staircase to their right.

Alarain turned to look for Aragorn and saw him rushing along behind them with Gandalf on his heels. She kept going, trying not to look over the edge that was so close to her feet.

They came to a small gap in the stairs and Legolas jumped it easily. Turning, he encouraged Gandalf to jump, steadying him when he landed. As soon as the wizard's feet touched the other side, a couple of arrows soared by them. One nearly hit Boromir and glanced off the stairs at his feet. He flinched and Legolas and Aragorn grabbed their bows, letting arrows fly at the goblins.

Boromir snatched up Merry and Pippin both, and launched himself over the gap. Part of the stairs on her side crumbled away, leaving the empty space wider. Brenir then ran back up the stairs before turning and sprinting towards the gap. Alarain stared in horror as the dog flew through the air and landed on the other side. He shook himself and turned to look happily back at her.

"Sam." Aragorn said, turning to the hobbit. He picked him up and tossed him safely to the other side before turning to Gimli.

The stubborn dwarf held up his hand. "Nobody tosses a dwarf." he said, annoyance in his voice. Pushing off from the stairs, he jumped through the air aiming for the other side. His feet landed on the closest step and it started to crumble away. Legolas whipped his hand out and grabbed the poor dwarf's beard.

"Not the beard!" Gimli shouted.

For a moment, Alarain thought he wasn't going to make it, but Legolas pulled him safely up and steadied him.

The step she was standing on suddenly gave way and she started to fall. Grabbing onto the edge, she hung from the stairs with nothing below her feet but blackness. Brenir barked frantically and she felt strong hands grab her wrists, heaving her up. Aragorn helped her to her feet and, standing behind her and Frodo, looked around frantically. The space was too wide to jump now and they were cut off from the others.

Her heart plummeted as another guttural growl came bursting out from the tunnel behind them. They all swung around to see the walls and ceiling starting to collapse.

_There's no way I'm surviving this, _Alarain thought in dismay.

A particularly large chuck of rock fell from the roof and as it smashed into the staircase behind them, Alarain was nearly flung off into the abyss. Nearly. Aragorn grabbed onto her waist and pulled her close to him, while also holding onto Frodo with his other hand.

The part of the stairs they were on was only being held up by the thin pillar beneath it. If that held...

**Crack!****  
**

Never mind. The ground under them started to sway as the rock holding them up cracked apart slowly.

"Lean forward!" Aragorn yelled out of nowhere.

Her and Frodo complied and the stairs started to sway in the direction of their friends. It felt unnatural to be standing on such unstable ground and her instincts told Alarain to lean back as it fell forward. She fought instinct and won. As the stairs collided with the other side, the three people standing on it were flung forward into the arms of the others.

As they pressed on, Alarain looked back to see the chunk of stairs they had only just been standing on, fall loudly into the depths of the darkness.

"Over the bridge!" Gandalf shouted as they ran past huge flames that had come out of nowhere. "Fly!"

The growl that she was beginning to know well came from behind them and they turned to see a massive horned beast roaring in Gandalf's face. It seemed to be made of fire and burning embers, and it's mouth was like lava. The heat that came in waves off it made it hard to breath as the fellowship ran for their lives.

It came slowly after them, not seeming to be very agile. They reached the small bridge and Aragorn led the way across. Alarain made her way across it as well, ignoring the fact that it was extremely narrow. The only ones behind her now were Legolas and Gandalf. Safely on the other side, she turned, panting, to see Legolas cross safely as well. Gandalf though, had stopped in the middle.

Terror filled her heart as the wizard stood facing the beast. "You cannot pass!" he shouted at it.

"Gandalf!" Frodo yelled wildly.

The wizard took no notice and the Balrog reared up, flaming with rage.

"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun!" Gandalf continued.

The Balrog grew more angry and, using a huge sword made from flames, struck down on Gandalf. The wizard blocked and a great light came from him, seemingly knocking back the beast. The members of the fellowship looked on in horror as the Balrog roared another flaming roar at the wizard.

"Go back to the shadow." Gandalf growled.

Taking a step onto the small bridge, the Balrog snapped a fiery whip in the air.

"YOU SHALL NOT... PASS!" Gandalf shouted with all his might, bringing his staff down hard on the bridge which created a small burst of light.

"Gandalf..." Alarain whispered, willing him to run.

Stepping fully out onto the bridge, the Balrog swung it's whip dangerously before the narrow rock collapsed under it's weight. It roared loudly as it fell and her eyes widened when she saw that it had broken right in front of Gandalf. The wizard still stood there, looking rather tired, but he was fine all the same. He turned to follow them, but the beast's whip came up and wrapped around his leg. It pulled him over the edge, and he grabbed onto a small handhold.

Frodo suddenly dashed forward, but Boromir caught him and held him back from the edge. Alarain stared at the wizard as he hung there. Not thinking, she too tried to reach the wizard, but was caught by Legolas.

"Gandalf!" Frodo yelled desperately.

The wizard paused in his struggling and looked into the eyes of everyone there. "Fly, you fools." he whispered before letting his grip fail. Then, he fell.

Alarain stood still as Frodo screamed in protest. Boromir picked him up and shouted for Aragorn. Slowly backing away from the edge, Alarain ran from the place. Aragorn soon followed her, dodging goblin arrows as he took one last look at the last place he would ever see Gandalf.

Alarain limped out the grand doorway and down the stairs that led onto the pale grey rocks outside. The fresh air in her lungs would normally have lifted her spirits had they not lost Gandalf. The fellowship gradually started to fall to pieces now that they were out. As she looked around, she took in the tears and sad faces before limping away as her own tears started to fall. She fell forward and caught the ground with her hands. Crawling behind a rock, she pushed up the leg of her trousers and saw the gory gash that was ailing her. It wasn't a deep cut, but still caused her enough pain to not want any strain on it.

"Legolas. Get them up." Aragorn ordered.

Though she could not see them, she heard the quivering in his voice as Boromir replied. "Give them a moment for pity's sake!" he snapped.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs!" Aragorn shot back, and she partially agreed even though she wanted nothing more than to have a good cry. Leaning her sore back on the rock behind her, she heard him continue. "We must reach the woods of Lothlorien."

Alarain didn't listen anymore, for her eyelids grew heavy and she felt sleep start to take her. She thought she heard someone call her name, but she was too tired to answer. Brenir barked and ran over, leading Aragorn to her side.

"Alarain?" he asked, then seeing her wound, crouched by her side. "Alarain. Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" he said worriedly. She didn't answer again and he shook her awake. "Alarain."

Legolas came up behind him and his eyes widened. "She is in no condition to run." he stated.

Aragorn quickly dressed the wound on her arm and leg before he scooped her up in his arms. She soon fell asleep to the rhythmic beat of his boots as he jogged.

She woke on and off, not fully coming around, but did notice when she was no longer being carried by the ranger. Boromir wasn't as graceful on his feet as Aragorn and she could tell. His bumpy gait didn't stop her from sleeping however, and she was soon gone from reality again.

Boromir's gait slowed, waking her, and she looked around. They had entered a forest and were making their way slowly through the golden trees. She looked up into the treetops and a relaxed feeling spread through her. Boromir glanced down and saw she was awake. "Welcome back." he whispered, smiling.

She smiled back up at him before she slipped away into dreams once more.

In her dream, she heard a woman's voice. _"You bring evil here with you!" _it said. Not understanding, she asked the voice why it thought that. _"You have a great evil within you, but you will overcome it if you have the courage." _the voice answered, further confusing her. After that, she saw nothing but darkness, and heard nothing more.

Something wet touched her face and for a moment she thought it was Brenir's tongue. Opening her eyes however, she saw it was Aragorn. No, not Aragorn's tongue, but a wet cloth that he had pressed to her face.

"Where are we?" she asked, looking around her. She was in a tent which was set up in amongst huge tree roots that stretched and twisted gracefully around each other. Aragorn sat in a chair beside her bed and was gazing her.

"We are in Lothlorien." he answered. "You're safe." She tried to sit up but he held her down. "You lost a lot of blood. You may be dizzy if you get up too fast."

Lying back down, Alarain remembered her dream. Then she remembered that someone must have checked her for other wounds, meaning someone may have seen the hideous mark on her arm. "Aragorn? Did anyone see..." she gestured to her forearm and he shook his head.

"I did not let anyone else touch you. No one knows." he soothed. "Sleep now. You need the rest." he ordered softly before getting up to leave.

"Aragorn?" she asked.

The ranger turned and his eyes were questioning. Alarain wasn't sure why she had called him back and didn't have anything to say. "Ummm..." she began. "Will you stay here?" she asked.

He smiled. "Only until you fall asleep." He walked back to the bed and sat down again, pulling the chair close. Alarain turned on her side and faced him. As her eyes closed, she felt a hand on hers, stroking it gently. She fell into dreams of Rohan as the ranger silently slipped out of the tent, leaving her in peace.


	14. Chapter 14

Alarain was kept in bed for many days while her wounds healed, and each member of the fellowship visited her often. It was after one of these visits that she was sitting up in bed, laughing to herself as she thought of the story Merry and Pippin had told her.

She was bored just sitting there, and all she could think about when she was alone was Gandalf. The way his eyes looked at them, almost as if he knew what was going to happen. _No! Don't think like that Alarain. He couldn't have known. And if he did, he would have done something to stop it. _She sighed with misery.

Getting to her feet, her eyes darkened when she rose too fast. She steadied herself and took a few steps toward the piece of fabric hanging over the entrance. When she no longer felt dizzy, Alarain peeked out to see if anyone was watching. Her eyes scanned the clearing and, upon seeing not a soul, she crept outside. The muscles in her legs were sore, but as she stretched them, they relaxed.

Wandering out into the forest, she cast her eyes upwards and marveled at the enormous trees that surrounded the place. She reached out a hand and let it stroke the grey bark of one of the giants. It was smooth and cool under her palm and she smiled before continuing her exploring. As she drifted through the woods in her borrowed dress, Alarain breathed in the clean air and it seemed to clear her mind and calm her nerves.

"Do you never stay where you're told?" came a voice from the forest.

Alarain smiled at the ranger and turned around to see him step out from behind a silver tree. He raised his eyebrow at her.

She smiled. "Whatever do you mean?" she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes.

Walking until he was right in front of her, he spoke in a teasing tone. "You were also told to stay in your room at Rivendell, and you didn't. Now this?"

She giggled at his mockingly dangerous look.

"Ah lassie!" a rough dwarven voice came from behind her. "I see you're up. About time!" Gimli exclaimed, wandering to her side. She was surprised to see Legolas with him, but she smiled a greeting to them both.

"Yes, I've been held in that tent long enough." she said, sending a sidelong glance at Aragorn to see if he objected. He didn't say a word so she continued. "What has everyone else been up to?" she eyed the elf and dwarf. It was unusual for them to be seen together when it wasn't necessary, and she was suspicious.

"I've been showing Gimli here, the wonders of elven hospitality." Legolas grinned.

Gimli chortled. "It isn't half bad too! Though nowhere near as impressive as the hospitality of the dwarves." he bragged.

Legolas laughed at him and Alarain raised her eyebrows. "Well you haven't even tasted the wine yet." the elf shot back playfully.

"What are we waiting for then elf? Let's go find some wine!" the alcohol loving dwarf said, walking off with Legolas.

Her and Aragorn were silent. "That was odd..." she said slowly.

The ranger gave a little laugh. "They've been like this for some while. It must be the atmosphere here."

She nodded before strolling away. Aragorn followed behind at her shoulder and she felt his eyes on the back of her head.

Pausing, Alarain walked beside him so he could not longer watch her like that. "Where will we go when we are ready to leave?" she asked.

Aragorn looked torn. "About that..." He stopped and turned to her. "It's very safe here, and if you wish to stay, I won't stop you."

Realization came over her and she let out a groan. Crossing her arms, she glared at him. "Whether you like it or not, ranger, I'm coming." she said stubbornly.

He sighed, gaze wandering. "I was hoping you wouldn't say that." he looked at the ground.

Alarain was confused. "Why do you not want me to go so desperately?" she asked tentatively, taking a step back from him.

Gaze rising to her face, he saw the doubt hidden there. Alarain saw something that confused her in his eyes as he stepped closer. His hand came up and rested on her arm, keeping her from backing away further. "Alarain." he began carefully.

"Just tell me if you want me to stay here." she interrupted.

Aragorn stopped and stared at her. "I want you to stay here."

Her eyes widened for a moment before hurt clouded her features and she turned to leave.

"Wait." he said quickly, catching her hand. "I don't want you to stay here because I don't want you with us." She stopped, but didn't look at him. He stuttered, trying to find the right words. "I don't... I want you to be safe. Your safety won't be certain if you're with us."

She looked up at him, seeing the pleading look on his face, and answered. "The fate of Middle-earth is in danger. I won't be any more safe if I stay here and the quest fails."

He gazed at her before dropping his eyes. "You're right." Letting her hand go, he crossed his arms as she had done to him. "You are a stubborn woman." he grumbled, eyes not moving from hers.

Contrary to everyone's beliefs, she did not enjoy being called stubborn. "You're a stubborn heir." she shot back before quickly turning and striding away. He didn't follow this time, and she was partly glad. It didn't feel very good doing that to him, but he was bothering her with his protectiveness.

Muttering to herself, she passed by Boromir and he spoke. "What are you doing up?" His voice was accusing and worried.

Jumping, she waved her hand in a dismissive motion and ran away, leaving the poor man standing there awfully confused. She wasn't in the mood to deal with a protective Boromir as well.

Her dreams that night were unsettling. A low voice was laughing in a manner that made her heart twist in fear. It got louder and louder until she woke suddenly, shooting up into a sitting position. She felt a pain in her arm and rubbed it unthinkingly. Something stung her hand and she pulled it away. Looking down, she lifted her sleeve to see that the ugly mark had grown very white. She covered it in haste, as the sight of it made her feel something strange.

An image of her holding a sword to Frodo's throat flashed in her mind and she blinked it away quickly. Fear clutched at her heart and she didn't get to sleep again for some while. Only when dawn started to brake did she return to the world of dreams.

"Alarain... Alarain..."

Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, she opened them to see Frodo's face hovering over her. She yelped and shot back from him, remembering the vision she had gotten the night before. He looked at her questioningly, and she shook her head. "Sorry." she apologized.

"No, I'm sorry." he smiled sheepishly. "I startled you."

"It's fine." she said, giving him a playful shove.

Grinning, he continued. "I heard you were up yesterday and wondered if you were feeling good enough for a walk. I'd love to show you around." he smiled.

Glad to see him in such a good mood after losing Gandalf, she complied. Eating a quick breakfast, she listened to him as he chattered on about this and that. The other hobbits and Brenir soon found them and joined the tour.

It was nice to watch the halflings so carefree for once. In fact, they talked so much that she hardly even had to use any energy to answer. Sam of course was not as chatty as the others, and worried for her, asking frequently if she needed to pause for a rest.

After spending the morning with them, Alarain eventually wandered off in search of some quiet. She passed a few elves here and there, and they nodded to her politely. The forest was beautiful in the afternoon. The sun that was shining through the leaves caused the light to appear a wonderful golden colour. Drifting away from the elven structures, the woman walked further into the woods. The moss was soft beneath her shoes and she smiled at the squishy feeling.

Wandering around the side of a tree, Alarain jumped back when she spotted Aragorn only a small distance away. She had not spoken with or even seen the ranger since her harsh words the day before.

Spying out at him from her hiding spot, she saw he was practicing his archery. He released an arrow, and it landed close to another in a dead stump. _Leave it to Aragorn to not shoot the live trees, _she thought, the edges of her lips twitching up. Aragorn wasn't a bad bowman, but if it had been Legolas, the arrow could have split the one that was already there straight down the middle.

A groan distracted her from her thoughts and she looked over to see him shaking his head when another arrow flew past the stump. He wasn't bad, but he usually wasn't this bad...

He paced heavily over to collect his arrows and crouched down, yanking them out with frustration. One was not coming loose and he pulled on it hard. It suddenly let go and cut his hand with the tip. He yelled in anger and threw it away before sinking to the ground, head in his hands.

Alarain stared in shock. He'd never lost it like that before! And now he did over pesky arrow? There must be something really bothering him if he gets frustrated over a small scratch.

He leaned back on the stump, hands still covering his face, and guilt struck at her heart when she realized she might have caused this with her inconsiderate burst.

Slowly emerging from her shelter, she walked quietly to his side. He was startled when she crouched down beside him, and watched her, obviously wondering what she would say. Alarain didn't say anything though, and just leaned her head on his shoulder. He looked down at his hands and they were silent. The only sound that could be heard as they sat there, was of the birds chirping away in the trees.

"I'm sorry." she whispered.

Aragorn didn't answer for a while. He then took her hand and gave it a little squeeze, showing he forgave her. She smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment.

The two of them were deep in their own thoughts and didn't even know they were being watched. Their elf friend smiled to himself as he took in the scene. Unknown to them, they looked almost like a painting, sitting there together, hand in hand and bathed in sunlight as afternoon turned to evening.


	15. Chapter 15

Alarain woke sometime in the night. Lifting her head up, she looked around at the forest. _Wait. The forest? _Turning to look up, she saw Aragorn asleep beside her. Realization came slowly that they had fallen asleep there last evening. She peeked up through the trees to see if she could spot the moon and figure out what time it was. The moon was high in the sky. _Midnight._

Sleepily, she tried to rise, but was stopped when she felt a pull. She turned her eyes back down and saw that Aragorn still had a grip on her hand. Very gently, she attempted to pry his fingers off. His hand, however, would not budge. A snicker sounded and she looked back to his face to see him smiling. His eyes were still closed, but he was definitely awake.

"Very funny." she grumbled drowsily.

He opened his eyes to watch her. "I sure thought so." he grinned.

Mumbling to herself, she leaned back on the stump again.

"Alarain." he began, sitting up slightly. "I feel like I know you."

Alarain giggled. "That's because you do. You've been traveling with me for some time now, or had you forgotten?" she teased.

He moved his gaze down to her and rolled his eyes. "That is not what I meant."

She smiled, trying not to laugh at him. "What did you mean then?"

Aragorn was quiet for a moment. "When I was only a child, my village came under attack by orcs. My mother brought me to Rivendell to protect me, and that is where I grew up." he said quietly. Alarain looked up to watch him. He was staring off into the forest, mind filled with memories. "I was very young when I lived in the Dunedain village, but I remember a few people. One of which was a girl, not much younger than me at the time. I played with her often and she became my best friend." He paused and looked down at her. "She had beautiful bright orange hair." he said pointedly, bringing the hand not holding hers, up to brush some of her copper-orange hair out of her face.

Alarain stared at him. "You think I'm..."

He nodded.

She sat up quickly, pulling away from him. "That's impossible. I'm not a Dunedain. I'm from Rohan."

The ranger sat up as well. "Is it? You said you never met your parents."

Alarain turned a suspicious glare on him. "You weren't in the room when I told Merry and Pippin that." she accused.

"I was outside the door."

Raising her eyebrows, she stared at him. "You were listening in?"

He looked worried. "You're not mad, are you?" he asked.

"No... not really" Alarain admitted.

He continued carefully, hoping not to anger her. "If you never met your parents, how do you know they were from Rohan?" Alarain had no answer so he kept going. "Also, you said you're forty three. You look much too young to be forty three. Dunedain are blessed with long life, and if I'm correct, you are actually much older." She still had nothing to say. "I thought you looked vaguely familiar when I met you in Bree. Then I heard you're name and I recognized it too, though I didn't know where from." He looked at her desperately, wondering if he'd ever convince her.

"You're mad." she said simply.

He frowned. "The girl I knew could bend her left thumb backwards." he said out of nowhere.

Alarain stared at him, amazement in her eyes. She then slowly took her left hand out of his and looked at it. Pushing on the thumb joint, it bent back easily. Looking back to him, her mouth was hanging open slightly. "Coincidence?" she tried feebly.

Aragorn raised his eyebrows.

"If I am who you think I am... then how old am I?" she asked in shock.

"Most likely around eighty six."

Alarain continued to stare at him, not fully believing it. She could not, however, ignore the proof. "Then you must be..."

"Eighty seven." he interrupted.

Alarain slowly sank back onto the stump, sighing heavily. The ranger was watching her closely, trying to read her face. Staring at a tree, Alarain thought hard. _Who were my parents? Where am I from? Where do I belong? Who am I?__  
_

"What are you thinking?" he asked quietly, distracting her from her thoughts.

"I don't know." she answered, also quiet. Her eyelids drooped and she yawned. "I'm thinking that this is a heavy subject for us to be discussing at midnight." she yawned again.

Aragorn laughed and started to get up.

"No..." she protested sleepily when he tried to help her to her feet. "I want to stay here."

The ranger sighed and sank back down beside her. Putting his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her close to keep her warm. As she closed her eyes, Alarain let her face snuggle farther into his chest. She soon started to drift to sleep at the sound of his heartbeat.

The morning after, Alarain woke quite sore. Opening her bleary eyes, she saw she was back in her bed. She smiled slightly at the thought of Aragorn carrying her there before shaking the image away and getting up.

She wandered out into the clearing and spotted all members of the fellowship gathered there. Boromir was the first to see her and let out a greeting. The others soon followed his example and called out as well.

Pippin and Brenir bounded up to her. "Good morning milady!" the hobbit said happily. "Did you hear? We're going to be leaving soon." he said, worry and excitement in his voice. He lead her over to the group and she blushed slightly when she saw Aragorn watching her.

"We are to be departing tomorrow." Legolas said, sad at the thought of leaving the elven city.

"And I assume you're going to be joining us?" Boromir teased.

Alarain sat down beside him on a large root and rolled her eyes as they all laughed. "Of course! What else did you expect?" she exclaimed, pretending to be drastically offended.

Gimli snorted loudly before turning to Aragorn. "What were you about to say laddie?" he asked, still snickering.

"The Lord and Lady of Lothlorien wish to present us with gifts before we leave. That means that you all need to be up bright and early. No being late." he said, eying the hobbits. They all nodded and he turned away, finished with his announcement.

Unknowingly, her eyes followed him as he walked away. He turned back and beckoned for her to join him. Alarain felt her cheeks heat up at being caught watching before she rose and walked over to him.

"I want to see how your sword work is going." he said when she reached him.

She nodded slowly, feeling guilty when she realized that it had been a while since she'd practiced. The last time she used her sword was in Moria. At that thought, sadness washed over her as she remembered Gandalf hanging on to the edge before he fell. Hiding her expression, she followed Aragorn into the woods. The other fellowship members watched them go curiously.

He lead her to the clearing they had fallen asleep in the night before and she stopped. "Should I go change?" she asked as she looked down at her teal dress.

Aragorn shook his head. "You should be able to fight in any clothing if you wish to come."

"Okay..." she said slowly, wondering when he thought she might be wearing a dress on their journey.

He had grabbed her sword on the way and tossed it to her as he unsheathed his own. Catching it, Alarain brought out her blade and threw the scabbard on the ground nearby. She then turned her attention to the ranger.

He circled slowly, looking rather serious. Quick as a snake strike, he launched forward and she blocked his attack clumsily, knocking his blade away as she dodged.

"Come on. You're better than that." he stated.

He danced toward her again and she sidestepped, swinging her blade to his exposed side. He, of course, blocked it easily.

"Don't hesitate." he ordered. "You won't hurt me."

Alarain stopped and looked at him mischievously. "Is that a challenge?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

His face grew confused. "No..."

She cut him off by stepping closer and stabbing at him boldly. Blocking, he stepped to the side before raising his eyebrows at her. She smiled and attacked him again, not holding back this time.

"Really?" he asked when they paused. "Is that how you want it?" He grinned wickedly.

Alarain answered with another swing, grinning back.

She was startled when the man grew fierce and began aiming swings mercilessly. He drove her back as she blocked his attacks desperately, barely catching some. He soon backed her into a tree and she ducked when his sword swung over her head. Using the tree to her advantage, she pushed off it and launched herself at him. He blocked, but she was stronger after her launch from the tree and he staggered back.

They stood there panting slightly for a moment. "Not bad." he said, and his voice sounded impressed. That didn't last long though, and he soon had her against the tree again.

She tried her trick again, but this time, he knew it was coming. Before she could push off, he shot forward and attacked. She brought her sword up to block but the force of his blade twisted her arm and she lost a hold of her hilt. Before she could dash away under his arm, he had both blades crossed in front of her throat. They watched each other for a moment, breathing heavily, and time seemed to slow. She saw a look of care and gentleness come over his eyes, and her heart raced at his closeness.

The cold metal on her neck tickled and Alarain started to giggle. Aragorn gave her a strange look before the corners of his mouth turn up slightly. Before long, he too was laughing. He stepped back and handed her back her sword, shaking his head at her strange behaviour.

Alarain swallowed, the nervous feeling in her gut disappearing when he stepped away. She smiled shyly and Aragorn sheathed his sword.

"That was good." he complimented.

Her mood fell. "You beat me though." she said, a little disappointed.

Aragorn looked at her. "Of course I did. I've known the art of swordplay longer than you."

Sighing, Alarain agreed. He tossed her scabbard across to her and she sheathed her sword as well.

"Alarain?"

She looked up. "Yes?"

Aragorn looked curious, but also slightly nervous. "Have you thought any more on our conversation last night?" he asked, peeking at her sideways as they walked back to the fellowship's clearing.

Quiet settled over them and Alarain looked at the ground, thoughts still jumbled. "I... don't know what to think Aragorn." she replied.

He nodded and was silent.

"Aragorn?" she asked, changing the subject.

He turned his head down to her, interest in his eyes.

They were almost at their destination and she stopped, wanting some privacy for what she was about to ask. "Why do you not want to be King?" she said bluntly.

Aragorn had stopped with her, and now he looked away, not making eye contact. He breathed in deeply before letting it out. "I've never been that type of man." he said quietly. "I've never had that type of responsibility and..." He paused and looked back to her. "I don't know if I can handle it."

"Aragorn." She took a step closer and rested a hand on his arm. "Have you not seen what you have been doing?" He looked at her strangely. "You've been that man. I've seen how you are with the others. With Gandalf gone, they look to you for a leader." Aragorn turned his stare in the direction of the clearing, and Alarain continued softly. "How come you don't see the man I do when I look at you?" she asked. "We all trust you Aragorn. And we trust your decisions."

His silent stare turned to her, and his eyes seemed to bore right into her soul. "Thank you." he whispered. "That means a lot." He smiled slightly, eyes sparkling. Giving her a nod, he walked slowly away, deep in thought.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello there people of the Lord of the Rings fan variety! In case any of you would like to know what I imagine Brenir to look like, I've posted a link on my profile page to a picture that looks like him.**

* * *

It was early morning and the low sun shone through the trees and landed, gleaming on the river. The fellowship was milling about waiting for the arrival of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. Alarain was particularly nervous, for she had not met the Lord and Lady yet. Gimli saw the expression on her face and came over, sitting beside her on a root.

"Don't worry lass. The Lord and Lady aren't that scary." he joked.

Alarain smiled back at him. If Gimli could handle them, than so could she! They got to their feet as she spotted elves come floating through the trees. Standing in a line, the fellowship bowed their heads respectfully as the elves approached. Alarain peeked up through her hair and almost gasped. Two elves stood in front of them. The man was tall and fair, with long hair and a hard, but kind, face. The woman was beautiful. She too, had long blonde hair that shone brilliantly, and her face was calm and friendly.

Lord Celeborn signaled, and more elves stepped forward. They carried cloaks in their hands, and as they came to the fellowship, they draped them around their shoulders. Using gorgeous leaf brooches, they secured the cloaks in place. Alarain could not help but admire her new piece of clothing. It was warm, but light and easy to move in.

"Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people." the Lord said as the elves finished. "May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes."

Next, Lady Galadriel stepped forward and eyed the group. She then began to present her gifts. To Boromir, she gave a golden belt. Merry and Pippin both got silver belts, each with a small dagger, and Legolas received a beautiful bow. Sam got a small box containing earth from Galadriel's garden. In the box was also a nut from a Mallorn tree, which was the type of huge tree that grew in the elf forest. He also received a coil of elvish rope. Alarain wasn't sure what Aragorn or Gimli were given. The dwarf's gift must have satisfied him though, for he could not stop smiling for a long while after.

When Lady Galadriel had reached her, she paused. "Ah, Alarain." she said, and Alarain let out a small gasp. Her voice was the one she had heard in her dream when they arrived! She was sure of it! "You're gift will be revealed in time." the elf Lady said, and continued on. Alarain was confused. Very confused, and slightly disappointed at not receiving anything. She even gave Brenir a bone for crying out loud!

Frodo had gotten the most beautiful gift of all. A small phial which she had called 'the light of Earendil'. "May it be a light for you in dark places. When all other lights go out." she had said to the hobbit.

As she finished, Lord Celeborn pulled Aragorn away to speak with him in private. The others began to set their supplies in the boats they had been given, but Alarain couldn't help but peek over to watch as the Lord spoke to Aragorn. Her eyes moved and landed on the Lady. She was watching her. Quickly, she looked away, hoping she had not been caught spying.

The fellowship began to get into the boats and Alarain laughed when she saw the look on Sam's face. He didn't trust boats and gripped the sides in fear. Frodo joined him as Legolas helped Gimli into another. Boromir was just climbing in with Merry and Pippin, so she went to join the elf and dwarf. Picking up her dog, she heaved him in. His legs shook as the boat wobbled, but she quickly sat down behind him and held him still. Aragorn soon came to join them and climbed in behind Frodo and Sam. Sam's eyes widened as the boat rocked. Alarain wasn't to fond of boats either, but she trusted them enough to keep her afloat.

Getting comfortable in the middle, she looked back to shore and saw the Lord and Lady watching. Galadriel raised a hand in farewell as they passed and her eyes didn't move from Frodo.

"I have taken my worst wound at this parting, for I've looked my last upon that which is fairest." Gimli muttered in front of her. "Henceforth I will call nothing fair unless it be her gift to me." he sighed.

"What was it?" Legolas asked curiously and they both looked to Gimli.

"I asked her for one hair from her golden head." He paused before finishing in a whisper. "She gave me three."

Alarain looked back to Legolas and they exchanged a smiling glance. Turning forward again, she watched the dark water passing by and soon grew bored.

After what felt like years of silence, Aragorn signaled from the front to take their boats to the shore as light began to fade. Legolas paddled up beside the others and jumped out. He pulled the front onto the bank and Gimli and Alarain climbed to shore. Brenir leaped to the ground with a happy 'woof' and immediately went to relieve himself. She let out a snicker when she saw how happy Sam was to be on solid ground again too.

Before long, a fire was started and Sam began passing food around. The lambas bread from the elves was good, but Alarain craved something juicer. She got to her feet, and crept out into the forest when no one was looking. Hoping to find berries of some kind, she wandered around in search of her prey.

A snap sounded from behind her and she turned quickly, jumping when she almost bumped into Boromir. He narrowed his eyes at her. "You shouldn't be wandering around alone." he said accusingly, his eyes shining in the minimal light.

"I'm not alone." she grumbled.

Boromir tilted his head.

"You're here."

He laughed. "Well I am now, but you were alone."

"Yes. I was. You're very observant." she said, continuing on her quest for berries.

The man was silent. "Is something wrong?" he asked carefully.

Alarain stopped. "I'm sorry. I'm just tired." she said, not fully knowing herself why she was being so ignorant.

He followed when she kept going. "What are you looking for?" he asked.

"Berries."

She heard him stop. "You're flouncing around out here... for berries?"

"Yes."

He chuckled. "Alright... May I help?"

Turning, she eyed him. "Only if you don't tease me about wanting berries."

He put his hand on his heart and bowed. "I promise." he grinned in a goofy manner. "Now let's go find us some berries."

Alarain rolled her eyes at the man before wandering off again. It was quiet apart from their footfalls and not even a bird song was to be heard.

"It's awfully quiet out here." Boromir observed. "Almost too quiet."

Suddenly, Alarain stopped in her tracks. Boromir paused behind her. "What is it?" he asked.

Alarain crouched down and picked something up. Standing, her heart started to pound. Boromir looked over her shoulder and growled. She held in her hands, a grubby leather helmet. What bothered her though, was the white hand print that was splattered across the top.

"Saruman!" Boromir spat. "I swear I'll kill anything bearing that mark to come within a hundred leagues of me." he said murderously, causing Alarain to tense up and her heart to twist in fear. "Come. The others need to see this." With that he sprang off, glancing back to make sure she was following. Alarain gulped and went running after him.

They burst into camp and the others sprang up in alarm. "What's going on!" Gimli asked, staring into the dark with his axe held high.

"Where have you two been?" Aragorn snapped, glaring at them, though mostly at Boromir. Alarain held out the helmet and there was a gasp, followed by murmurs.

Aragorn snatched it out of her hands. "Where did you find this?" he asked, worry in his eyes as he stared at her.

"Not far from the camp." Boromir answered. "Someone has been here before us." His voice had gone low and dangerous.

"Perhaps not someone, but something." Legolas said, grimacing at the smell of the helmet.

Alarain had not said anything. Her heart was still racing from the find, and also at Boromir's words. Aragorn glanced at her and then at the helmet. A look of realization came over his face and he spoke quickly. "We should not stay here tonight. Let us pack the boats and be off. We can still paddle in the dark."

There was a quiet groan from the hobbits, but they did not protest further. Everyone packed in a hurry and Sam put out the fire. Throwing the bags into the boats, they hopped in. Brenir whined but he too was soon sitting in the boat with Alarain's arms wrapped around him. Her heart was in her stomach as she stared wide eyed out into the trees that lined the bank. Legolas pushed off and hopped in. With Aragorn's boat in the lead, Boromir's in the back and their's in the middle, they set off again.

Alarain's eyes grew heavy after many hours spent staring into the forest. Though she couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, there was the feeling of fear out there. Gimli had fallen asleep sitting up a while ago and Alarain felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Go to sleep Alarain." Legolas ordered softly.

She nodded and let her eyes close. She soon opened them, but not to the rocking of the boat. Darkness surrounded her and she heard screams nearby. Struggling to her feet, she tried to get up and run to help, but a sudden pain made her fall. The White Hand was steaming with heat and it burned her whole arm.

Looking up from her scar, she saw a vision in front of her. Ugly orc-like creatures were thundering towards her. Their skin was dark and they were dirty and slimy. Each creature had a white hand somewhere on their armour and they were growling viciously. Their footsteps pounded in her ears and she tried to block it out with her hands, but they kept coming and were almost on her. Squeezing her eyes shut, she wished for it all to stop.

Suddenly, it did. But then, a voice came. The voice of Saruman. **"Alarain." **he said, sending shivers down her spine. **"I have a task for you." **Alarain tried to ignore his words, as they sounded like Nazgul screeches to her ears. **"Don't try and deny that I'm taking control of you my dear." **His voice sounded sweet, but she heard the malice behind it. **"You will do as I say Alarain!" **he yelled when she did not respond. Against her will, her feet pushed up from under her and she was standing. Peeking up, she saw him in front of her, a look of greed on his face. **"When the time is right, you will kill the Ringbearer." **Alarain stared at him in horror. **"When you have taken the Ring, you shall bring it before me. Then, you will be rewarded greatly for your troubles." **He smiled an evil grin and she forced her eyes closed.

"I will do no such thing." she growled, heart pounding.

**"Oh, but you will... and soon. Also, if you fail, you will be punished. Severely." **With that, he began to laugh a loud cackle as he faded into the blackness.

Alarain snapped awake, rocking the boat as she did, and Gimli let out a shout. "Careful!" he exclaimed. "You nearly plunged me over the side you crazy woman!"

"Sorry." she muttered, mind still on her dream. She glanced back to see Legolas watching her curiously. Her eyes quickly ducked, as she knew the elf would be able to see the terror hiding in them.

Looking around, she realized it was daytime and the sun was high. The dream seemed to only last a few moments, but she must have slept for ages.

Much time passed, and Alarain still could not get the dream out of her head. Aragorn beckoned and they all paddled up beside each other. "We will stop and scout the shore. If their are no signs of the enemy, we'll stay. Guards will be posted throughout the night to ensure everyone's safety."

They brought the boats up on shore and clambered out. As they moved along the bank, Alarain heard a whisper. She swung around and her eyes landed on Frodo. _The Ring! _Tearing her gazw away, she noticed that Boromir had a pained look on his face. _I wonder if he heard it as well, _she thought. After that, she tried to stay as far from the hobbit as possible.

When no evidence of their enemy was found, they set up camp. Keeping most of the packs in the boats, they only took the food to shore. In case they were attacked during the night, they would be able to make a quick escape. Aragorn insisted on no fire being lit, so the fellowship was huddled around in a slightly circular shape, silently thanking the elves for their wonderful new cloaks that kept the wind out and the heat in.

The ranger, as always, volunteered for first shift, and stood gazing out into the forest, ears alert for danger. The hobbits were the first to fall asleep and were soon followed by Boromir, who was exhausted from two days and a night of paddling. Gimli was next and then the elf. Alarain was quite amazed that Legolas had stayed awake for so long when he too, had been paddling for days.

She looked to Aragorn and was even more impressed. Legolas was an elf, so she could understand his steady strength, but Aragorn was no elf. And yet, he still stood there, eyes and ears open for any sign of danger. He wandered quietly over to a boulder and sat down. As he leaned against it, she could see the way he lowered himself stiffly though. He was probably just as, if not more, exhausted then the others.

Alarain grew tired, but fear of another terrible dream haunted her, and she forced herself to stay awake. She accomplished this by watching the ranger. She watched the way his hair fell over his face when he looked down, and how his eyes glowed when he thought he heard something. He blinked slowly before shaking his head and pushing sleep away.

She gazed at him, and was practically in a trance when he turned his eyes on her. She stared back and he sent her a nod. Blushing, Alarain moved her eyes from him and immediately felt her eyelids falling. As they closed, she heard the elf's voice telling Aragorn to get some sleep, and that he would watch the night for a while. Aragorn rose and went to crouch beside her. He gazed at her closed eyes for a moment before settling down close, but not to close, at her side.

"Don't forget to sleep Aragorn." Legolas whispered from across camp.

Alarain opened her eyes to see that Aragorn had been watching her. He looked slightly embarrassed and turned onto his back to avoid her gaze. Her cheeks heated up and she smiled to herself. She wasn't troubled by Saruman that night.


	17. Chapter 17

After many days on the river, the group began to relax slightly when no more signs of the creatures were found. One particular night camped on the bank though, Alarain's sleep was haunted by something else. She could hear Boromir speaking with Aragorn not far off, and he sounded mad.

"You are afraid!" Boromir snapped. "All your life, you have hidden in the shadows! Scared of who you are, of what you are!" He had raised his voice and she could hear what he said clearly.

She strained to hear Aragorn's answer. "I will not lead the Ring within a hundred leagues of your city." he growled back.

Footsteps sounded quietly and she opened her eyes to see Aragorn returning to the group, frustration easily seen on his face. Alarain closed her eyes again and wondered why Boromir was acting so. He is usually more stable, but was becoming much more easily angered every day.

They were off the next day and Alarain was playing with Brenir's ear when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to Legolas and he pointed up.

"The Argonath." Aragorn breathed in the boat beside them.

As she raised her eyes, her mouth fell open. She had never seen anything like it before! Two great stone men rose out of the mountains on either side of the river. They towered above the fellowship that was gazing up at them in amazement. One arm each was raised as if in a gesture of defiance to the enemies of Gondor.

"Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old." the ranger continued. "My kin."

Alarain was at a loss for words as she stared upwards. _These must be the two joint rulers of Gondor before the time of the Steward, Lord Denethor. Isildur and his brother, Anarion. These are Aragorn's ancestors. _She looked down and gazed in wonderment at the massive feet as they passed.

They were soon out of sight of the great monument, and came to a large part of the river that could almost be classified as a lake. Far across the stretch of water, a huge rock rose up, and on either side, the water crashed down the Falls of Rauros. The fellowship came to shore on the west bank and hopped out.

"We'll cross the lake at nightfall, hide the boats and continue on foot." Aragorn said as they unpacked their gear. "We approach Mordor from the North.

"Oh yes?" Gimli asked. "Just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impossible labyrinth of razer sharp rocks, and after that... it gets even better!"

Pippin was chewing on something and it looked funny how he continued to look in between the dwarf and ranger. Gimli and Aragorn looked over at her as she giggled. "Sorry..." she said, hiding her face.

Gimli continued. "Festering, stinking marshlands as far as the eye can see."

"That is our road." Aragorn replied calmly. "I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength master dwarf."

Gimli huffed. "Recover my... ugh..." he grumbled.

Alarain went to join Pippin as Legolas began whispering to the ranger. When they were done talking, Aragorn walked over to her. Gesturing, he lead her away from the group.

"Alarain, do you know where we are?" he asked.

She gave him a confused look. "Don't you?"

"That's not what I meant." Bringing out a small map, he pointed. "We are here, and Rohan... is here." His finger had not moved far from were they were and Alarain smiled.

"That is Rohan? We're so close." she observed. Looking back at the ranger, her face fell when he looked upset. "What is it?" she asked hesitantly.

He sighed. "Our road leads East, and Rohan is West." He paused. "If you wish to return, you will have to leave us here."

Alarain stared at him, shock in her eyes. _I can't leave them now after we've been through so much! I can't abandon them!__  
_

Before she could say anything, Merry came into camp and dropped a stack of firewood on the ground. "Where's Frodo?" he asked, looking around.

Everyone froze. Frodo wasn't there. Aragorn scanned the camp and his eyes stopped. Following his gaze, she saw that Boromir's things were there, but he was not.

Aragorn dashed off and was followed by the entire group, including Brenir. Alarain was in the back and she stopped when she felt a pain in her head. **"This is your chance!" **a voice shouted in her mind. She clutched at her skull as Saruman's words ripped through her. **"Find the hobbit before the others and take the Ring!" **he ordered. She struggled to push his voice away, but she could not fight him. **"FIND THE HOBBIT!" **With that, Saruman was gone.

Alarain pushed herself up and staggered forward. Her legs moved against her will in the direction of the others and she fought hard to stop. If she did find Frodo first, she was too afraid that Saruman would take complete control and she would be forced to kill him.

Her head suddenly shot up at the sound of swords clashing. With all her might, she ran in that direction. Coming through the trees, she saw a battle in full swing. Aragorn was on top of a stone structure and was bravely taking on an entire army of orcs. _Wait! Those aren't orcs! They're the creature I saw in my dream! _Unsheathing her sword, she ran forward to help. **"No!" **Saruman cried. **"Leave the Uruk-hai! Look for the hobbit!"**

She ignored him and fought her way through, trying to get to Aragorn. He suddenly launched himself off the top of the structure and onto a few enemies. The Uruk-hai were stronger than normal orcs and she was almost about to get her head chopped off by one, when an arrow planted itself into it's eye. Turning, she saw that Legolas and Gimli had arrived to help.

"Aragorn, go!" the elf yelled, and the ranger took off, attempting to slow the monsters as they searched for Frodo.

Alarain's legs suddenly shot off after Aragorn against her will and she growled. **"Frodo must be that way." **Saruman said in her mind.

Legolas and Gimli were slowly making their way after the ranger as well, but she was faster and ran right past them. Aragorn was still cutting down Uruk-hai ruthlessly and as she came up behind him, she sliced off a head. He turned and stared at her before nodding his thanks and plunging his sword into another. They fought side by side for a while until they were overrun. Legolas caught up and began shooting them down one after another.

Her arms ached as she blocked yet another attack and stumbled back. Ducking, she stabbed her sword into the monster's belly and it let out a yell before sinking to the ground. Swinging around, she saw that Aragorn was backed up against a tree and an Uruk-hai had his throat in it's hands. He was desperately smashing his fists into it's face but it did not let him go. Alarain ran to help, but Legolas was faster. When the creature's back was to him, he shot an arrow and it fell to the ground.

A loud horn sounded farther into the forest. "The horn of Gondor." the elf said.

Aragorn took off again. "Boromir."

Alarain sprang after him and Legolas stayed back, killing the remaining Uruks that followed. Running at Aragorn heels, she swung her sword mercilessly at any of the creatures she passed and they fell to the ground dead. **"Good."** Saruman's voice purred in her head. **"Show no mercy." **he cackled as she brought down Uruk after Uruk.

"I'm not looking for your praise." she growled.

Aragorn was still fighting so she continued on in search of Boromir. His horn would sound every now and again, but after a while, it came no more. She soon left the ranger behind as her feet carried her quickly to the Gondorian's aid.

As she came over a hill, Alarain froze on the spot. What she saw brought tears to her eyes. Far away in front of her, was a man fighting for the lives of two small creatures behind him. He had two arrows sticking out of his chest, but he still fought with a huge amount of strength. He bravely faced the oncoming army all on his own with Merry and Pippin staring in horror at the scene playing out.

Alarain's heart stopped when another arrow suddenly plunged into him and he fell to his knees. Anger tore through her and Saruman laughed in her head. **"Yes!" **he shouted.

Her voice came low as she answered him. "No." she growled.

Merry and Pippin bravely tried to protect Boromir, but were picked up easily. An Uruk-hai was now standing in front of the man as the others just ran past, carrying the hobbits away. Soon, it was only the leader that was left. He stood with his bow raised at Boromir's head and all the man could do was stare up at it and wait for death to come.

What the Uruk didn't see however, was the woman as she came running up behind him. Alarain stabbed her sword down into it's shoulder with all her strength and the creature roared, dropping his bow. She yanked out her blade and the monster turned to her. It grabbed a bloody sword off the ground and came at her. She didn't miss a beat and dodged his swing. Slicing her sword into it's arm, she jumped back when it stabbed at her. The edge of his sword suddenly caught her leg and she let out a yell. Falling to one knee, she rolled out of the way as it tried to bring it's sword down on her. He kicked her in the stomach and she groaned in pain, gasping for breathe.

She looked up through her hair at the creature. It smiled greedily and raised it's blade. Suddenly, the tip of a sword poked out of it's belly and she looked up to see a very angry ranger. The Uruk-hai then grinned and backed up into the sword, seemingly not feeling the pain at all. Aragorn yanked it out and began fighting it like a hero.

Alarain crawled over to Boromir to see he was hardly breathing. He was straining for breathe and the arrow wounds in his chest were seeping blood all over him.

**"Show your worth Alarain." **the voice in her head growled. **"Kill him!" **Saruman ordered.

Her eyes widened as her hand reached for her sword. She pulled it back and her arm flashed pain.

**"Kill him!" **the wizard yelled. **"Do as I say!"**

When she did not move, her arm felt as if it exploded. She moved her other hand slowly and lifted up her sleeve. The White Hand of Saruman was bubbling and glowing. Boromir stared from his place on the ground when he saw the mark. His eyes moved up to her and they were scared. Alarain gritted her teeth as an overwhelming sensation passed through her. Her right hand grabbed the sword handle and she screamed in anguish.

**"If you do not kill him, I will." **Saruman spat with rage.

Tears came out of her eyes as her arms raised the sword above her head. Boromir's eyes pleaded and she stared back in terror.

Meanwhile, Aragorn had just beheaded the leader when he looked over to Boromir and his eyes widened. His heart pounded when he saw Alarain on her knees beside him with her sword about to plunge down. "Alarain!" he yelled.

Alarain didn't hear him, for pain was pounding through her body. Saruman laughed and evil laugh as he took total control of her. Looking at the man below her, she remembered when he teased her about swearing at the hobbits, and how he was cooperative when she wanted to look for berries. She thought of everything that he had done with her, and every word she had shared with him. He did not deserve this.

**"It's a good thing you don't care for him as you do for that ranger." **Saruman cackled. **"Just imagine how it would feel if this was actually him you were about to kill."****  
**

Power suddenly surged through her and her terror was gone, replaced with courage. She focused on the magic that the wizard was using to control her, and grabbed for it. She imagined her hand wrapping around it and Saruman let out a yell.

**"What are you doing! Stop!" **he roared.

Alarain strained to take back her body. "I will not let you control me." she growled through gritted teeth.

Aragorn and Boromir watched in amazement as the woman threw away her sword. The scar on her arm burned as Saruman tried to take her back. She ignored it and, using the magic to her advantage, she put her hands on Boromir's chest. Her fingertips glowed with light as Saruman screamed. Even the men around her heard the voice as the wizard protested. The light from her fingers spread to the arrows and seeped into the wounds. Boromir closed his eyes in pain as he felt the wounds begin to heal. The arrows fell out on the ground as they were pushed from his body. The light faded with the wizard's voice and Alarain fell backwards as she faded from consciousness.


	18. Chapter 18

**Hurray for POVs! Hurray for Boromir! I cry every time I read or watch his death scene and I've always wanted to write a story where he lives. I'm not sure how he's going to fit in, but fear not, for I will figure it out! By the way, if you ever see a spelling or grammar mistake, let me know. I'm a perfectionist and hate it when I miss something.**

* * *

**Aragorn's POV****  
**

He ran to Alarain's side as she slumped to the ground, weak with exhaustion. Legolas and Gimli had arrived just in time to see the whole thing and they helped Boromir to his feet with awe in their eyes. Aragorn picked up the limp woman in his arms and quickly carried her back to camp.

They found Brenir sitting on the beach, staring across to the other side when they got there. Legolas followed the dog's gaze and saw that a boat was just reaching the opposite shore. Two small figures climbed out and he spoke."Frodo and Sam have reached the Eastern shore." he told Aragorn.

The ranger rested her down and Brenir walked over to lick her face, whining at the smell of blood. Aragorn didn't answer, but went to get supplies to patch up her wounds. Boromir crouched down beside her and stared at her face. His eyes moved to her arm, where the scar was still present.

He caught Aragorn watching and his eyes became questioning. "Did you know?" he asked, looking back to her arm.

"I knew about the mark, though I had no idea how Saruman was haunting her... or taking control of her." Aragorn answered quietly, gazing at her closed eyes.

"How long did you know?"

Aragorn looked up. "Since Bree."

Boromir stared at him for a moment before glancing between him and the woman. "But you trusted her." he said quietly. "I didn't." The ranger moved his eyes back to Boromir and he continued. "When I saw that thing on her arm, I thought she was going to kill me. For a moment, I didn't trust her." He was quiet.

Gimli rested a hand on his shoulder. "I don't blame you laddie. She did have a sword raised over you." he said.

"I wonder how she got the power to take back her body?" Legolas thought out loud. No one had an answer for that and as Aragorn finished cleaning and wrapping her wounds, Legolas spoke again. "Aragorn, do you mean not to follow Frodo and Sam?" he asked.

All eyes turned to him and he looked across to the other shore, and then back down at Alarain. He shook his head slowly. "Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands."

Gimli sighed. "Then it has all been in vain. The fellowship has failed."

Aragorn looked around at all their faces. _They cannot give up now! _"Not if we hold true to each other." he insisted.

"What about Merry and Pippin?" Boromir asked, and he too looked to Aragorn for an answer.

"We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. We must go after them, but Alarain is in no condition for the fast travel needed to catch up." he said, torn.

Everyone was quiet until the Gondorian spoke. "I will stay with her." he volunteered. "I am still weak and could probably not keep up anyhow. You three can go after the hobbits." Aragorn turned his eyes to him, worry showing in them. "She saved my life Aragorn. Do you not trust me to save hers?" he asked desperately.

"It's a good plan Aragorn." Legolas added.

Lowering his gaze, Aragorn sighed. "Alright." he said. "When she wakes up and is strong enough, you should make for Edoras. It should be safe there."

With that, he got to his feet and began collecting his things. "Leave all that can be spared behind." he ordered. "We travel light."

Boromir grabbed his arm before he could depart. "Don't worry about her Aragorn." he said quietly. "I won't let anything touch her. Not while I have strength left."

He paused and looked over at the woman before his eyes raised to Boromir again. "Thank you." he whispered.

Turning to the waiting elf and dwarf, Aragorn spoke. "Let's hunt some orc." After taking one more look at Alarain, he dashed off into the woods with his companions not far behind.

**Alarain's POV****  
**

Alarain bolted upright before sinking back down in pain. Her head was still pounding and her arm ached.

"Good morning." a cheerful voice said.

She looked over to see Boromir tending to a fire nearby. Brenir ran to her side and smothered her with his tongue when he saw her awake. She pushed him off her face and looked around. "Where are the others?" she asked groggily.

Boromir came over beside her. "Frodo and Sam got away across the river, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli have gone after Merry and Pippin." he said as he passed her a canteen of water.

She took a drink and handed it back. "You're alive!" she said all of a sudden.

He laughed. "Thanks to you." Her face fell. "What is it?" he asked.

She looked down and her arm and then back up at him.

Understanding, Boromir smiled. "Don't worry. I trust you." he said gently

"But I almost killed you." Alarain frowned.

"But you didn't." She didn't answer and he continued. "I'm ashamed to admit that I thought you were going to. I thought you were the enemy for a moment, but then I saw the look in your eyes, and I knew it wasn't really you who was holding that sword."

Alarain looked back up to him. "You really aren't angry?"

"Alarain." he smiled. "You saved my life. How can I be angry with you when you saved my life?"

She laughed shakily. "Thank you. Were the others hurt?" she asked curiously.

"No one was hurt badly. Only cuts and bruises."

The woman felt herself relax at his words and gazed out at the water. "What will we do?"

"Aragorn told me to take you to Edoras when you are strong enough to travel." he said, going back to his fire.

"Great!" she exclaimed. "I'm strong enough now!"

He rolled his eyes. "No, you most definitely are not."

"How do you know?" she asked grumpily, crossing her arms.

Boromir ignored her question. "Aragorn would personally slay me if I let you walk before you have recovered." he said.

"No he wouldn't." she said. "He has no authority over me. I say I'm ready." At that, she scrambled to her feet only to feel her legs go weak. Boromir rushed over and steadied her.

"For the sake of my sanity, please sit down." he said, staring her straight in the eyes. Sighing, she let him help her sink back to the ground, though she grumbled about it.

He shook his head at her stubbornness. "He may not have authority over you, but he does care for you."

"If he did really care about me, he would let me walk to Edoras." she muttered.

"He does really care about you, which is exactly why he would do no such thing." he argued.

Alarain was silent, so he wandered back to the fire. Brenir looked between the two in confusion before strutting off to get a drink from the river.

_I wonder how far away he is._ _I mean them, _she thought quickly. _Not just Aragorn, but all of them.__  
_

**Boromir's POV**_  
_

He was watching her closely and saw the distant look in her eyes. He snickered to himself. _Even she doesn't see what I do, _he thought with a laugh. She looked over and he pretended to be busy with the fire. Peeking across to her again, he saw the look return.

**Alarain's POV****  
**

Many days on the bank of the Anduin river passed, and Boromir finally agreed that they should leave. They packed lightly and she saw him gaze longingly at his huge shield before turning away.

"You may be able to get it back one day." she said behind him.

The man sighed. "I suppose so." he said, though neither of them really believed it.

They set out and Brenir bounded happily at their feet, glad to be doing something again. It was late into the afternoon when they came to the edge of the forest and looked out at the rolling hills of Rohan. Alarain breathed deeply, enjoying the smell of the grass once again. It had been a long time since she had been there, and she felt tremendous joy at seeing it again. Something was different however, and she no longer felt like she was coming home. Knowing that she was probably born a Dunedain, she felt as if she was just as far from her home as ever.

"Come Alarain." Boromir said at her side. "We must press on."

Together, they walked out into the wind and she smiled at the feeling it left in her hair. Rohan might not be her real home, but it held a special place in her heart. She glanced over to see Boromir smiling at her.

"Glad to be back, are we?" he asked.

Nodding and smiling, she kept walking and looked back to the wind. Brenir frolicked in the grass and rolled around a little before springing after them again. He sure felt like he was coming home!

They walked until sunset before setting up camp. There were no trees nearby, so they did not have a fire. Thankfully, their cloaks kept them warm enough though, and they slept with Brenir between them. His body heat helped them both have restful sleeps and they woke refreshed. Sharing a small amount of lambas bread, they set off again.

The sun was high when Alarain thought of a question. "Do you know where we're going?"

Boromir snickered. "Of course I do!" he said before he began laughing.

"Good, because I don't have the slightest idea where we are." she laughed with him.

He stopped suddenly and put his arm out. She almost smacked her face into it, but paused just in time. "What?" she asked, looking up to see him peering into the distance.

"I think there is a town over there." he said, squinting to see better.

Alarain moved her eyes to where he looked, and sure enough, the slight shape of a building was peeking out over a rock.

"Let's go, but carefully." he said as he continued walking.

She called Brenir to her side and followed after. After a short while, they came over the hill and stared down in shock. The town was more of a small village and the houses were all charred as if there had been a fire. Bodies littered the streets causing a terrible smell to float up to them and Alarain wrinkled her nose.

"What happened here?" Boromir whispered, casting his gaze over the many bodies.

Alarain spoke quietly. "Whatever it was, hasn't been gone for long." she said as she took in the smoke that still rose from some of the houses.

They wandered down into the streets, stepping over corpses as they went. Alarain swallowed hard at the sight of children lying dead, and Boromir lead her through so they didn't have to step on anyone. Alarain tried to look up, for she didn't want to see any more. Brenir suddenly growled behind her and she spun around. He had only been growling at the smell and jumped when she startled him. Boromir gestured for her to continue and they made their way to the other side.

"There is nothing we can do for them." he whispered as she looked back at the small burnt village.

They went on their way with terrible images in their minds. Brenir stayed close and no longer ran joyfully through the grass as he had when they arrived.

That night, they sheltered under a large overhanging rock, and Alarain's dreams were haunted by the faces of dead men, women, and children.


	19. Chapter 19

They were awake before dawn and set out early. Brenir yawned loudly beside her as she followed Boromir. She gave his head a little scratch and he leaned into her leg.

After lifetimes of walking, Boromir paused and Alarain ran into his back. Stepping around him grumbling, she too stopped. Brenir barked happily at the sight. There in front of them, was Edoras. The strange thing though, was the stream of people leaving.

"They must be emptying the whole city!" Boromir said in confusion.

Alarain turned to him. "Why would they do that?" she asked.

Boromir thought for a moment. "The only reason I can think of for them to leave like this, is if they knew an attack was coming."

Scanning the group, she didn't see their companions and her hope fell. _Maybe they aren't here. Aragorn never said they would be though. He only said to come here, _she thought glumly.

"We should go before they leave us behind." Boromir said, jogging off down the hill.

A guard spotted them and came riding forward.

"Halt strangers!" he said, voice stern and suspicious.

Boromir looked slightly insulted. "I am no stranger to Rohan my friend." he said. "I am Lord Boromir of Gondor, and I wish to know what's happening."

The man looked flustered. "Come with me." he ordered. "I will take you to the front of the line to see Theoden King."

Alarain's eyes widened. "The King?" she whispered to Boromir.

"Don't worry. I've met him before, and he is a kind man. Just make sure your arm is covered." he said quietly.

They followed the rider and he fetched them some horses. Her horse was a beautiful bay mare, and climbing on, Alarain felt happiness take over once again. It had been so long since she had been on a horse and she cherished her time on the great beast. She glanced over to see Boromir mounting a handsome chestnut stallion that pranced with energy.

Another Rohirrim guard joined the first and they lead them along to the front of the line. Brenir ran along side her horse as they went and it looked down at him curiously. Her heart fluttered with nerves as they neared the lead horses. _I'm about to meet Theoden King! I'm about to meet a king! There he is!_

One of the men leading them rode ahead to tell the king and she saw some other riders behind him that looked familiar. She saw the man speak and as he did, a rider beside the king turned to look back. Her heart soared when she saw it was Aragorn. And behind him were Legolas and Gimli sharing a horse! The guard lead them to the king's side and, bowing his head, left.

"Aragorn?" Boromir said in surprise as he brought his horse up beside the ranger's.

"Boromir! Alarain! It is good to see you two!" he smiled while Legolas and Gimli let out similar greetings.

Theoden was on Aragorn's other side and he looked over. "Boromir." he smiled. "It has been a while since I last saw you."

"Yes, it has. I must ask though, what is happening? Why is your city being abandoned?"

The king's face went dark. "The enemy is near and I cannot risk being caught in Edoras when he attacks. We are making for the fortress of Helm's Deep. The walls have never been breached, and there, we will survive. If we stay here, we are sure to die."

Boromir was stunned. "That is not good news..." he said.

Aragorn moved his horse so Boromir could speak with the king and rode up beside Alarain. "How are you?" he asked. "You didn't run into any trouble did you?"

She smiled. "The only trouble I ran into was with Boromir."

"What do you mean?" His voice was hesitant.

"He wouldn't let me move for days!" she exclaimed. "He was too scared that you would slay him if we left before I was strong enough." Aragorn looked at the ground, and his mouth twitched. "What?" she asked.

He smiled slightly, looking back up at her. "Who knows. Perhaps I would've."

Alarain rolled her eyes. "Sure." she replied sarcastically. "What happened Aragorn?" she continued. "Did you find Merry and Pippin?"

Nodding reassured her that they were fine. "They're safe with... a friend."

"You know me well enough that I'm not going to let you leave it at that." she glared.

"They are with an ent in Fangorn." he said, watching for her reaction.

"What? Fangorn Forest is dangerous. And what in Middle-earth is a bloody ent?"

"Calm down Alarain. Fangorn is merely misunderstood. It's residents are quite nice. Gandalf assured me of that." Her eyes flashed to his. _Gandalf? _He smiled happily. "Yes, Gandalf. He is alive."

"How..." she stuttered as joy began to fill her heart.

"He fought the Balrog, and won. He died upon the mountain where he killed it, but was brought back." He interrupted her as she tried to ask something. "Do not ask me how he was brought back, for I do not know. He would not say. Also, Gandalf is no longer Gandalf the Grey. He is Gandalf the White."

Alarain stared at him in amazement. "Where is he?" she asked, brimming with curiosity.

"He is not with us. He departed shortly before we began to leave the city." the ranger told her. "He told me to look for his coming at first light of the fifth day. At dawn look to the east, he said."

She was quiet, but then, she broke out into a huge grin. "He's alive." she breathed.

Glancing back to Legolas and Gimli, they smiled when seeing the grin on her face and immediately knew what Aragorn had told her. Boromir slowed his horse to walk beside her and Aragorn.

"What is it?" he questioned when looking at her excitedly happy face.

She smiled. "Gandalf is alive."

"What?"

Alarain pulled her horse around to walk with the elf and dwarf as Aragorn told Boromir the news.

"How are you feeling lass?" Gimli asked from behind the elf as he glanced at her arm.

"I'm doing fine." she said.

Legolas spoke nonchalantly. "Aragorn was very worried about you."

Gimli snorted. "If we didn't keep pestering him to keep going, I swear he'd have turned around the minute you were out of sight." he chuckled.

Alarain blushed and looked down, trying to hide her face. "He can't have been that worried. No more than he was about Merry and Pippin."

Gimli let out another scoff. "Are you blind?" he asked. She sent him a confused look and he shook his head. "Oh, never mind." he huffed.

"Alright...?" she said slowly, still very confused. Legolas laughed from his place in front of the dwarf, but did not speak any more on it.

Raising her gaze, Alarain looked forward to see Aragorn watching her. She quickly moved her eyes and they landed on Theoden King. He was glancing back in between her and the ranger. She was about to lower her eyes respectfully when he motioned her forward. Alarain gulped and trotted up beside him.

"You must be Alarain." he said casually.

_He know about me? A king knows about me! _"Yes, your majesty."

"Please." he smiled. "Theoden is fine. I hear you are a friend of Gandalf."

"Yes, I am. I only just learned that he's alive. Up until now, I thought he was dead."

The king turned a sympathetic look to her. "That must have been terrible." he said. "You must be surprised to find him alive."

Alarain laughed, relaxing slightly as she spoke with the powerful man. "Very surprised, and excited. I cannot wait to see him." she said, staring off into the distance.

"I've heard a lot about you from your friends." Theoden said, looking over at her. "They say you are from the Riddermark."

She thought for a moment. "I'm not sure actually. I grew up here, yes. But I never met my parents, so I cannot be sure."

He nodded thoughtfully. "The colour of your hair suggests another lineage." he observed. "Do you know of any family?"

Shaking her head, she looked at the ground. "No. There is no one."

The king sighed. "You remind me of my niece. You should meet her." Alarain was surprised, and honoured to be thought of that way by this man.

Aragorn rode up beside her. "My companions and I were just off to look for her. I can take Alarain and introduce them." he suggested.

"Yes, of course. Go ahead." Theoden smiled. They turned their horses around and he called out. "I hope to speak with you again Alarain."

She nodded back as they cantered away. Boromir, as well as Legolas and Gimli followed and the dwarf complained loudly at the uncomfortable gait. Aragorn and Alarain exchanged glances as the dwarf called out some very colourful things.

"Sorry!" he yelled as they passed a group of women on foot who were looking particularly insulted at his choice of words.

Alarain laughed at the silly dwarf. They soon slowed when Aragorn spotted the woman they were looking for. The group moved their steeds and rode up beside her. She was a tall woman, with long flowing blonde hair that fell over her face as she shuffled around, helping where needed. She paused and looked up.

"Lord Aragorn." she said in greeting.

"Eowyn. I'd like you to meet my friends. This is Alarain and Boromir." he said, gesturing to them.

She bowed her head and Boromir spoke. "I've met you before, have I not?" he asked.

"Yes Lord Boromir. Though that was some years ago. I'm glad to see you're still alive."

"As am I." Boromir smiled, glancing at Alarain.

Eowyn turned to Alarain. "It's wonderful to meet you after hearing all about you milady." she said.

Alarain blushed. _Did they really talk about me so much?_ "Please, call me Alarain. Would you like some help?" she asked when taking in the many heavy packs and baskets being carried around them.

Eowyn let out a breath. "That would be wonderful." she smiled.

Alarain dismounted and Aragorn took her reins. She walked with Eowyn for some time, carrying things here and there, and realized she really liked this woman. She was kind and quiet, but also had a feisty attitude and was very determined. They spoke of many different things, and Eowyn was interested to hear that she knew how to wield a sword. The woman just loved Brenir, and he enjoyed the attention.

After a while, Alarain found herself laughing along with Eowyn as Gimli told them of dwarf women. He was sitting atop her bay mare now, whose name she had learned was Fayna, speaking happily to the two women. The king had joined them and rode with Aragorn not far behind.

"It's true, you don't see many dwarf women." Gimli continued. "In fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they're often mistaken for dwarf men." She laughed at that, wondering if their had been any dwarf women at the council of Elrond.

Eowyn glanced back at the ranger and he whispered playfully. "It's the beards" He gestured to his chin. Eowyn shushed him before Gimli heard, and turned back to the dwarf.

"This in turn had lead to the belief that there are no dwarf women, and that dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground!" he said with a laugh. She and Eowyn joined him and he chuckled. "Which is of course ridiculous."

With that, the mare under him took off and he fell to the ground. Eowyn ran to help him, but Alarain just began laughing even harder as he spoke. "It's alright! It's alright! Nobody panic!" he said, rolling around on his back like a turtle who had been flipped and couldn't turn itself upright. "It was deliberate. It was deliberate." he insisted as Eowyn helped him to his feet. Alarain ran to assist as well before going to fetch Fayna.

The column of people soon stopped for the night as dawn began to fall. Alarain was giving Fayna a brush when the king walked over to her.

"That horse seems to have taken a liking to you." he said, coming up behind her.

She turned and bowed her head in greeting. "Has she?"

"Yes. Her previous rider fell in battle." Then he laughed. "He could not get her to stand still for a brushing." He gave the horse a pat and looked thoughtful. "Do you own a horse?" he asked.

Alarain had moved to do the mare's other side and looked over her back at Theoden. "No, I don't." she said.

"Well why don't you keep her then." he suggested.

She stared at him before remembering her manners. "Are you sure?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course. As a gift from me, she is now your horse." he said, smiling as he walked away.

"Thank you!" she called after him. His response was a nod.

She gave Fayna a little hug around the neck and the horse snorted impatiently as her grazing was interrupted.

"What has you in such good spirits?" Legolas asked over the horse's back as he passed.

Alarain grinned. "The King of Rohan just gave me a horse!" she giggled.

"Congratulations." he laughed, seemingly impressed.

"Her name is Fayna." she said, admiring the bay.

Legolas stroked her neck and she let out another snort. "She sure is a beauty." he said, eyes moving across her.

The elf then turned his head and laughed at what he saw. She followed his gaze to see Eowyn speaking with Aragorn. He had a bowl in his hands and as she walked away, he attempted to spill the contents onto the ground. She turned back to him and he quickly brought his bowl back to his lap. Even from the distance she was at, Alarain could see him wince as the hot liquid stung his hands. She snickered as he was forced to eat the whole thing.

"A word of advice." Legolas said. "If Lady Eowyn offers you stew... decline." he chuckled, watching Aragorn as he finished it off.

She giggled. "I think I'll take that advice."

He bid her farewell and left her to finish brushing the dirt out of Fayna's coat. Brenir lay on the grass nearby and the horse flicked her tail as she watched him carefully. Alarain yawned sleepily and decided to go in search of some food. She made sure to avoid Eowyn as she left.

* * *

**Hay all! See what I did there! Horses eat hay. Get it? No? Yes? Oh well. Anyways, I put this at the end so you meet Fayna before reading it. I posted more links to pictures that look like her on my profile page. You can go check them out to see how I imagine her to look... or... you could just imagine her as a purple donkey with red horns, a blue nose and a orange striped tail for all I care. But you don't really want to do that, do you?**


	20. Chapter 20

Legolas had given her some lambas bread which had filled her stomach easily somehow, and she went to look for a place to sleep. She paused when she saw Aragorn sitting some ways from the group, smoking his pipe thoughtfully. _I shouldn't disturb him, _she thought, turning away. After having not seen him for so long though, she craved to walk over, sit beside him, and lean her head on his shoulder. _Snap out of it Alarain!__  
_

Looking over to him again, she saw he was looking back. He motioned for her to sit beside him. She sighed and gave in, stepping quietly around sleeping mothers and children.

The woman came up beside him and he gestured for her to sit again. She complied and leaned on the rock beside him, sliding to the ground. They were silent. He put his pipe away and gazed across to the moon as it raised up on the horizon.

"The King gave me a horse." she said.

Aragorn turned his gaze and gave her a half-smile. "That was generous." he answered.

The two were quiet again. Alarain's eyes started to close as she listened to the chirping of crickets. They opened again as she tried to stay awake and wandered before falling to his wrist. The horsehair bracelet that she had made for him all those days ago in Rivendell, was still there. It was dirty, but it was there.

"You kept it." she whispered.

He followed her gaze and lifted up his arm, looking at it with a smile. "Of course."

She fell silent and her mind began to wander. "I missed you." he whispered quietly. She looked back to him and he was gazing down at her with a strange look deep in his gray-green eyes. Her face heated up and she avoided his gaze, looking back out at the moon. Her heart was jumping and the fact that Aragorn didn't move his piercing stare did not help.

He then raised his arm and rested it around her shoulders. His other hand came up and gently pulled on her arm, turned her body towards him. Her head rested on his chest and her heart skipped with nervousness. She felt his hand snake around her waist as he pulled her closer. Despite the weird feeling inside her, she couldn't help but smile. Her eyes closed and she buried her nose farther into the ranger's chest as he sighed contentedly.

Alarain blinked her eyes open to see an amused elf looking down at her with eyebrows raised and smile present. She wondered why he looked that way for a moment before realizing that she was still snuggled up in Aragorn's arms.

"If you two aren't too busy, it's time to go." Legolas grinned, and it was obvious that he was trying desperately not to laugh.

Her and the ranger got to their feet awkwardly and Alarain's face grew hot. Hiding her red cheeks from Aragorn, she hurried off to get Fayna and find Brenir.

Riding alongside Eowyn, Alarain was quiet. Boromir trotted up beside her and tried to strike up a conversation. However, she only answered when asked a question and he soon gave up, going to join Aragorn and the king at the front of the line. Alarain soon fell behind as Eowyn went to walk with Aragorn.

A yell sounded over the hill in front of them and, handing his reins to Eowyn, Aragorn ran to look. He came racing back down as the king thundered forward.

"What is it? What do you see?" Theoden asked.

Aragorn yelled his answer as he sprinted for his horse, Hasufel. "Wargs! We're under attack!" The villagers began to panic around her and she snapped out of her silent march.

"All riders to the head of the column!" the king yelled.

Urging Fayna forward, she galloped ahead and passed Gimli as he scrambled onto the horse that he and Legolas shared. She saw Theoden speaking with Eowyn as she passed, but kept going. Her dog ran beside her and she halted, yelling at him to turn back. Brenir whined and Eowyn called him. Turning, he dashed back to her.

"I'll keep him safe!" Eowyn yelled. "Go!"

Alarain sent her a nod and spun Fayna around, heading after the Rohirrim soldiers.

"Follow me!" Theoden shouted, galloping up the hill.

The horse hooves thundered as the group came over the crest. Aragorn rode at her side and she glanced over as they went. He sent her an annoyed look, obviously wishing she had stayed back. They ran by Legolas and he sprang into the saddle in front of Gimli without missing a beat. Alarain spotted their enemies and gulped. A large pack of dog-like creatures bearing orcs as riders were charging towards them.

A tingle of fear and excitement ran through her as she rode into battle with the Rohirrim. As the two forces came together, the sound of swords clashing erupted. She swung at an orc as it raced by her and decapitated it. The warg however, kept going and bit down hard on a Rohirrim's arm, pulling him out of the saddle. His horse bolted in fear and she looked away as the warg finished him off.

She cast her eyes around and spotted Gimli on the ground not far off. He clambered to his feet and turned to a warg. It growled and stalked towards him.

"Bring your pretty face to my axe!" the dwarf shouted.

Before she could help, Legolas rode by and killed the beast right in front of Gimli. Seeing he was safe, she turned her horse in search of another orc, but still heard him as he yelled at the elf. "That one counts as mine!"

Plunging her sword into a warg's shoulder, in writhed in pain before falling heavily to the ground. Looking about, she spotted Aragorn. He was being dragged along beside a warg with his hand caught in it's harness. It's rider was trying to kick him off, but not doing to well. She galloped after him, planning on killing the orc, but the ranger pulled it off and it landed heavily on the ground.

She turned her horse and trampled the orc before it could rise. Then, she shot off after the warg again. Aragorn was still stuck to the beast and was desperately attempting to untangle himself from it. Her heart sunk when she saw it was headed straight for a cliff. Urging Fayna faster, she galloped up beside the warg and tried to push it away. It ignored her and she took a deep breathe. In a last, desperate attempt as they neared the cliff, she launching herself off her horse and onto it's back. Pulling hard on it's harness, she tried to stop it, but it didn't even blink.

The warg ran right off and into the air. Alarain's stomach turned with the feeling of falling. She closed her eyes when they hit the water below before blacking out.

Drifting in and out of reality, Alarain caught glimpses of the river as she was washed downstream. She woke briefly on the bank before closing her eyes again. The water ran past her legs as they were still in the river, and her head pounded. She moved an arm slowly, but stopped when it burned in agony. She was soon unconscious again.

**Boromir's POV****  
**

"Aragorn!" Legolas called.

Boromir joined him. "Aragorn! Alarain!"

Gimli was searching nearby with a worried look on his face. "Aragorn?"

The man followed Legolas as he wandered to the cliff and a sputtering laugh caught his attention. He looked down to see an orc lying nearby. It had hoof marks all across it's body and was clutching something in it's hands.

Gimli stalked up and held his axe to it's throat. "Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing." he growled.

The orc coughed. "They're..." it sputtered as blood came out of it's mouth. "Dead! They took a little tumble off the cliff." he laughed.

Boromir stepped forward, but Legolas was faster. The elf grabbed it and spoke menacingly. "You lie!" The creature gave another choked laugh before going still. Legolas pushed the dead body away in disgust and glanced down. Taking something from it's bloody hand, he held it up and they all exchanged a glance. It was the horsehair bracelet that Aragorn wore. _The one given to him by Alarain!_

Boromir felt sick as he looked to the cliff, images of them falling flashed through his mind. Theoden was at the edge and they joined him, looking down at the rushing river below. His heart plummeted when he saw the distance to the water and closed his eyes, not wanting anyone to see the tears that were forming.

Theoden turned. "Get the wounded on horses." he said to a man behind them. "The wolves of Isengard will return." He paused. "Leave the dead."

Boromir shook his head in sorrow at those words and looked over to see Legolas staring at the king. Theoden gave his shoulder a sympathetic pat. "Come." he said gently before turning to go.

The three stood standing at the edge for a moment. They slowly walked away, hearts heavy.

**Aragorn's POV****  
**

The battered ranger had just come from a Gimli hug and was about to look for the king, when he halted, nearly running right into Legolas.

"You're late." he said in elvish. He cast his gaze over his battered body and went back to the common tongue. "You look terrible."

The exhausted ranger watched Legolas for a moment before smiling and resting his hand on his friend's shoulder. Legolas held out his hand and dropped something into his. Looking down, he discovered it was the horsehair bracelet. His eyes rose to Legolas again and he nodded, thanking him in elvish. Legolas stepped aside and he continued on. His arms ached as he pushed the heavy doors open and stood there with Theoden staring at him in shock.

**Alarain's POV****  
**

"Aragorn..." she mumbled.

A hand rested on her cheek. "Hush." a rough voice came.

She opened her eyes to a handsome, scruffy face and smiled. She was lying on the bank of the river, and the sun was high.

"I'm so very sorry Alarain." Aragorn said, sitting back and letting a breath out when he saw she was alright.

Alarain looked around. "What happened?"

"If I had known you fell too, I would have looked for you sooner." he said, guilt in his eyes.

"What do you mean? How long have I been unconscious?" she asked, starting to feel the aches in her body.

"A day."

She stared at him. "What happened? Did everyone reach Helm's Deep safely?"

"There was a battle." the ranger said as he sat up again and began checking her bandages. "An Uruk-hai army attacked. The fortress was nearly taken when Gandalf came. He brought Eomer and his Eored. They had been banished by Wormtongue, but Gandalf found them."

Alarain stared at him blankly. "Wormtongue? That's a silly name. Who is he?"

He laughed. "I'll explain everything later. Right now, I need to get you back. Some of us are to be leaving for Isengard soon." Bolting upright, she stared at him in fear. "It's alright Alarain, you don't have to come."

She gulped. "Whose going?"

"Theoden King of course. Along with Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, Eomer, Gandalf and myself. We will be accompanied by a few soldiers as well."

"Well then, I'm coming too." she said bravely, though her heart was pounding, and not in a good way.

Aragorn gave her a funny look before shaking his head slowly. "Alright." He helped her up. "I'm not even going to ask why."

She smiled nervously and her stomach twisted with the thought of Saruman. "My friends are going, and so am I." A nod was his only response as he helped her clamber onto a horse.

"Who's this?" she asked, giving the dark bay stallion a pat.

"His name is Brego. I first met him in Edoras. He found me on the shore and carried me back to Helm's Deep." Aragorn answered, swinging up behind her.

Alarain's head spun as Brego started moving, and Aragorn slid one arm around her waist to keep her from sliding off. Holding the reins in his other hand, he urged Brego faster.

"Was anyone hurt?" Alarain asked.

Knowing she wished to know if their friends were fine, he comforted her. "Just scratches and bruises."

She was silent for a moment. "Are you alright?" she asked quietly.

Aragorn smiled behind her. "I've been better."

She nodded, and her eyes began to feel heavy. Her head leaned back into his chest and she drifted off. Aragorn slowed Brego slightly so she could sleep more peacefully and tightened his grip around her.

A voice whispered close to her ear and she opened he eyes. "Helm's Deep." Aragorn said as they looked out across the plains.

They continued on and as they got closer, Alarain gasped. "What happened to the wall?"

"The Uruks brought a strange exploding fire with them. Saruman must have had something to do with it." he explained.

Brego neared the battlefield and Alarain grimaced. Mutilated bodies lay everywhere. Many Uruk-hai, but also those of men, and boys. Rohirrim were collecting the dead humans and moving them away from the enemies. Aragorn moved his horse passed them and halted. He helped her down and she turned at a barking. Brenir ran up to her and jumped around, licking her hands and wiggling with excitement.

"Alarain!" she heard.

The woman was suddenly pounced upon as Boromir, Legolas, and Gimli hurried over to her. Gimli wrapped her in a big dwarf hug causing her muscles to ache, and the others beamed.

"First Gandalf, then Aragorn, and now you!" Boromir said grumpily, though his smile was still there. "I though you all to be dead and now you have all returned!"

"It is good to see you Alarain." Legolas said, prying the dwarf off her.

Before she had time to say anything, she heard another voice. An old, wise voice. "Alarain. I was wondering if you might still be with us."

She turned to see Gandalf's kind smile looking down at her. She stared at him in awe and amazement as her own smile grew. He was dressed all in white and had a brilliant white staff in his hands. He laughed at her expression as Theoden walked over.

"Ah." he said with a kind face. "I see the other warrior has returned as well. I'm glad to see you're safe Alarain."

She bowed to him and he nodded his head. "Come." he turned to Gandalf. "We must be off."

Brenir suddenly sprang away and her eyes followed him. She spotted Eowyn among the bodies and waved. Seeing her, Eowyn broke out into a huge grin and returned the gesture. The dog stayed by her side and Alarain turned to look for Fayna.

"Oh no." Aragorn said, seeing her searching look. "You're riding with me. You are in no condition to ride alone."

She sighed and Aragorn helped her onto Brego again. This time, she was behind him, and as they cantered off after the king, she wrapped her arms around him and held on tight as her stomach began to feel sick with fear. _Time to meet Saruman..._


	21. Chapter 21

The group was riding single file through the trees of Fangorn and Alarain glanced around nervously. Gandalf was in front, followed by Theoden, and the ranger and her were next. Boromir was behind them, and Legolas and Gimli were not far back on their horse, Arod. Eomer, who she had been introduced to earlier, brought up the rear.

Gandalf's handsome steed, Shadowfax, suddenly gave a loud whinny as they came through the trees. Alarain looked ahead to see two small figures sitting and feasting on the broken wall of Isengard. Pippin gave a loud and silly laugh when he spotted them. Alarain broke out into a grin and glanced back to see Boromir looking equally excited. She knew he felt responsible for their capture and was relieved to see them safe and well.

"Welcome, my lords." Merry said, getting to his feet. He saw her and spoke again. "And lady, to Isengard!" he gestured behind him and Alarain widened her eyes at the sight. Through the broken wall, she could see that a large expanse of water covered the ground inside.

"You young rascals!" Gimli exclaimed. "A merry hunt you've led us on, and now we find you... feasting and... and smoking."

She and Boromir exchanged a silly glance and Aragorn snickered in front of her.

Pippin spoke up. "We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well earned comforts." he smiled. "The salted pork is particularly good."

The dwarf stared at him eagerly. "Salted pork?"

"Hobbits." Gandalf muttered quietly.

"We're under orders, from Treebeard." Merry continued. "Whose taken over management of Isengard."

Gandalf signaled to follow him and Boromir spoke. "Come on you rascals. Mount up with us." He heaved Pippin up behind him and Merry hopped on with Eomer.

Alarain tried to calm herself as they entered, but all she could think of was the beatings and torture she had received there. Aragorn felt her grip tighten and rested a hand on hers. "He can't hurt you." he whispered.

Her fears were forgotten though, when she saw something very odd. Something she had never seen before. A walking, talking tree.

"Hrooooom... young master Gandalf." It greeted. "I'mmm... glad you've come." The tree rumbled in a deep voice.

"What is that?" she whispered to the ranger.

He turned his head. "That is an ent." She nodded in understanding, but still continued to stare at the huge creature.

"Wood and water, stock and stone I can master, but there's a wizard to manage here, locked his tower." Treebeard said roughly.

"Show yourself." Aragorn whispered quietly.

Gandalf glanced over. "Be careful." he said. "Even in defeat, Saruman is still dangerous." Alarain shuddered at his words.

"Then lets just have his head and be done with it." Gimli grumbled.

"No." Gandalf said quickly. "We need him alive. We need him to talk."

Her heart suddenly raced as she heard a familiar voice. "You have fought many wars and killed many men, Theoden King, and made peace afterwards." They turned their gazes up to the sky and saw the wizard standing there, on the very top of his great black tower. "Can we not take council together as we once did, my old friend?" The terrible feeling in her stomach grew as she heard the lies behind his kind voice. "Can we not have peace, you and I?" the wizard spoke.

Theoden scowled. "We shall have peace." he said quietly before raising his voice in anger. "We shall have peace, when you answer for the burning of the Westfold, and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace, when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg, are avenged!" he shouted, eyes glaring up. "When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows... we shall have peace." A feeling of triumph rushed through her as he spoke.

Saruman's face grew annoyed. "Gibbets and crows! DOTARD! What do _you_ want, Gandalf Greyhame? Let me guess. The key of Orthanc? Or perhaps the keys of Barad-Dur itself? Along with the crowns of the seven kings and the rods of the five wizards?" he bellowed. His voice echoed through her ears and she looked down from him, resting her head on Aragorn's back.

"Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands more are now at risk." Gandalf replied. "But you can save them Saruman. You were deep in the enemies council."

"So you have come here for information." Saruman paused. "I have some for you." Alarain looked back to him to see he had held up an object in his hands. It was a dark, round ball that gave off an air of dread. "Something festers in the heart of Middle-earth." he said, staring deeply into the ball. "Something that you have failed to see. But the Great Eye has seen it." Lowering his hand, he continued. "Even now, he presses his advantage."

Gandalf moved Shadowfax forward as Saruman's voice grew evil. "His attack will come soon." he said. "You're all going to die. But you know this. Don't you, Gandalf?" The wizard below said nothing. "You cannot think that this ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor." Aragorn stiffened in front of her and she tightened her grip. "This exile, crept from the shadows, will never be crowned king. Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those closest to him, those he professes to... love." He said the word as if it was a poison that he couldn't even grip the meaning of. "Tell me... what words of comfort did you give the halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death."

Alarain felt a great anger rise in her. She glared up and he finally noticed her. "Alarain." he growled. "What a pleasant surprise. Do you still follow this pitiful group of misfits? Why don't you come up here and be spared from their miserable ways." Aragorn straightened as if trying to protect her from the wizard's gaze. "Or has this ranger corrupted your mind as well?" His voice sounded thoroughly disgusted as he continued. "Has your love for him blinded you Alarain?" She felt her companions eyes turn to her and she avoided their gazes as her face heated up. Aragorn tried to turn and look at her, but she ducked her head from his eyes.

Gimli suddenly spoke up, saving her from further embarrassment. "I've heard enough." he whispered to Legolas. "Shoot him. Stick an arrow in his gob." The elf moved to do so, but Gandalf stopped him.

"No." he said, and turned again. "Come down Saruman, and your life will be spared." His voice was almost kind as he said it, though Alarain could tell he was putting it on.

"Save you pity and your mercy! I have no use for it!" he yelled, and using his staff, sent a flaming ball of fire flying towards Gandalf. It enveloped him and Alarain gasped. The fire dissipated to reveal that Gandalf was unscathed.

"Saruman." he called. "Your staff is broken."

At his words, the wizard above was shocked when his staff burst into many small pieces before his eyes. He glared down and she saw a pale, dark haired man walk up behind him.

"Grima!" Theoden called up. "You need not follow him. You were not always as you are now."

"That is Grima Wormtongue." Aragorn informed her.

"You were once a man of Rohan. Come down." the king said proudly. Grima, as Theoden had called him, bowed low before turning to obey.

"A man... of Rohan." Saruman spat. "What is the house of Rohan but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek and their brats roll on the floor with the dogs? The victory at Helm's Deep does not belong to you, Theoden, horsemaster! You are a lesser son of greater sires." he growled.

Theoden looked up at him with anger in his eyes. "Grima." he said, obviously trying to control himself. "Come down. Be free of him."

"Free?" Saruman yelled. "He will never be free!" Then he turned to the man and exchanged words. His hand suddenly shot up and he slapped Grima across the face, causing him to fall the floor.

"Saruman!" Gandalf snapped. "You were deep in the enemies council. Tell us what you know."

"You withdraw your guard, and I will tell you where your doom will be decided. I will not be held prisoner here."

"Gandalf!" Alarain exclaimed suddenly as she saw Grima run up behind Saruman.

He was clutching a knife in his hand and plunged it repeatedly into the wizard's back. She winced as he did so and Legolas let an arrow fly. It hit Grima in the heart and he yelled out in pain before falling back dead. Saruman slumped and his body fell too. It dropped over the edge and twisted as it fell through the air. When it landed, it was impaled on a large spiked wheel with a disgusting sound.

Merry gasped and Alarain looked away, though she couldn't help but feel triumph run through her as she realized he was gone, never to haunt her again. Her arm felt a strange rushing sensation as the wizard's evil hold on her diminished. The feeling stayed, but she hid the fact that something had happened to it. Not everyone there knew of her scar, and she wanted it to stay that way.

Turning from the body, Gandalf spoke to Theoden. "Send word to all our allies, and to every corner of Middle-earth that still stands free. The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike."

The wheel that Saruman now lay on began to turn and he was slowly submerged beneath the water.

"The filth of Saruman, is washing away." came Treebeard's deep, gravely voice.

Pippin dropped down from behind Boromir out of the blue and sloshed through the water as Treebeard kept talking about trees.

"Pippin?" Boromir called.

The hobbit ignored him and reached down into the water. Lifting something up, he brought out the dark ball the the wizard had been looking in.

"Bless my bark!" the ent exclaimed.

Gandalf rode up beside him. "Peregrin Took. I'll take that my lad." he said, extending his hand for it. The hobbit hesitated and Gandalf urged him. "Quickly now." Pippin passed it up to him and the wizard hurriedly covered it with his robes.

Pippin climbed back on with Boromir and the group set off, wishing Treebeard farewell. It was an awkward ride back behind Aragorn after what Saruman had said, and what made it even more awkward was the fact that she had her arms wrapped around his middle. She tried to distract herself with concentrating on the ground rushing by, but that, however, only resulted in her feeling sick and she soon looked back up.

Alarain was relieved when Edoras came into view. They galloped towards it and she as they neared the walls, she began to make out small shapes of people bustling about inside.

As soon as they were in the stables and she was off Brego, Alarain rushed away in search of Brenir, not giving Aragorn a chance to stop her. Knowing she would find her hound with Eowyn, she headed for Meduseld, the Golden Hall. Eowyn was waiting eagerly on the steps and greeted her as she approached.

"Alarain. You are back. All is well I presume?" she asked.

Looking at the ground, Alarain mumbled her answer. "You could say that."

Eowyn grabbed her arm and stopped her. "Are you alright?"

She sighed. "I'd rather not talk of it if you don't mind." she said quietly before changing the subject. "Where is Brenir?"

Eowyn laughed. "In the kitchen. The cooks have taken a liking to him. I swear, if he stays there for much longer, you are going to have quite a fat dog on your hands!" Alarain smiled and Eowyn pulled her into the building. "You look exhausted." she said. "Come. There is a bath waiting for you in your chambers, as well as one of my dresses. It's a lovely green that would go with your hair beautifully. There is going to be a feast tonight in celebration of the victory and you must come."

Alarain thanked her when they reached her door and slipped inside. She undressed, carefully taking her many bandages off, and slid into the hot water. When she was done, she put on the dress that was waiting for her and sat on the bed, deep in thought. The woman didn't feel up for a feast, but felt rude if she didn't go. Gazing out the window at the fast approaching darkness, Alarain thought of the ranger she had come to know so well and felt confusion overwhelm her. _Love?__  
_

A knock at the door jolted her out of her thoughts and she called for whoever it was to come in. And who should it be to walk through that door but Aragorn. She stared at him for a moment before her nerves took over and she glanced back down from his gaze.

"I need to check your wounds." he said from the doorway.

She nodded and he closed the door quietly before walking over and sitting down. His hands were gentle as he cleaned out a cut on her arm with a wet rag before rewrapping it using a fresh bandage. He moved to her shoulder where she had another large scratch and glanced up at her brown eyes. She was avoiding his and looking out the window, counting stars as she tried to focus on anything but the man who was so close. If she wanted to, she could just lean forward and... _Cut it out Alarain!__  
_

"Are you coming to the feast?" the ranger asked, concentrating on her scratch.

"I should."

He looked back to her. "If you don't wish to, you could always make the excuse of painful wounds." he said. "No one would blame you."

She smiled slightly at his sneaky attitude and looked down as she fiddled absently with her fingers. His rough hands ran over her arm gently and she shivered at the touch. Aragorn finished and walked to the window, pulling it closed as he thought the reason she had trembled was from cold. As he turned and looked down at her, something changed in his eyes. Her heart began to pound as he walked slowly back over to the bed, gaze unmoving.

"Alarain." he whispered as he sat down facing her.

The ranger rested his hand on the bed so his body was over her. Glancing at her lips, he moved closer. They stared at each other for a moment before he began to close the gap and her eyelids fell slowly as she felt his nose brush hers.

"I'm coming in and I hope I'm not interrupting anything!" an elf's voice called from the other side of the door.

They leaped apart and Aragorn stood as Legolas entered. He stopped and his eyes moved across them both, taking in their embarrassed looks. A mischievous smile grew on his face and his eyes twinkled.

Deciding to make some trouble, he spoke. "Come, Alarain. You are going to miss the feast!" Snatching her hand, he whisked her off and Aragorn followed reluctantly behind.


	22. Chapter 22

**Warning! Romance alert! Romance alert! By the way... I'm extremely excited right now because... Wait for it... I just got a great deal on three swords! Well... two swords and two knives. Aragorn's sword (Anduril), Gandalf's sword (Glamdring) and Legolas's fighting knives! I have one of the fighting knives sitting beside me right now! HEEHEEHEE! YAY! Sorry... I'll stop hyperventilating and let you get on with the story. I bet now that you got the romance alert, you're really excited! Yeah. You know you are. Don't try to deny it.**

* * *

Eowyn bowed to her uncle as she handed him a goblet. Alarain was watching from her place near the front as the king took it from her hands and nodded gently. The elf had purposefully stuck her beside Aragorn before dashing off to join Boromir and Gimli, continuing to glance at them occasionally.

Theoden King held his drink high and everyone stood. "Tonight, we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country. Hail the victorious dead!"

The voices around her echoed and she joined in. "Hail!" Theoden drank and the crowd followed his example, raising the mugs to their lips.

After that, the feast began and the people began to mingle. Alarain and Aragorn stood beside each other awkwardly before she slipped away, making an excuse of finding Legolas.

She moved through the masses slowly and spotted the elf at a table with Gimli. The dwarf was speedily choking down a drink as Legolas sniffed his carefully before taking a sip. He too began to gulp his down, and Alarain realized they were playing some sort of drinking game. She wandered over and watched. Eomer stood beside her and glanced over, giving her an eye roll at the elf and dwarf before turning away.

Forgetting Aragorn for a while, Alarain laughed along with the other bystanders as Gimli grew more and more drunk. She happened to glance away for a moment and her eyes landed on the ranger. A spark of jealousy flamed inside her when she saw Eowyn handing him a goblet with a smile on her face. He took a drink before handing it back. He nodded and turned away. The flame disappeared.

Looking back to the game, she saw that the dwarf was near ready to faint. Foam was dribbling down his beard and he laughed loudly. It was obvious that he was very drunk. Legolas was still going at a steady pace and hardly appeared tipsy at all.

He paused and looked worriedly at his hands. Gimli let out a loud burp as the elf spoke "I feel something." he said. Eomer raised his eyebrows. "A slight tingle in my fingers. I think it's affecting me." He looked over as Gimli laughed.

"What'd I say." he slurred, waving a finger in the elf's general direction. "He can't hold his liquor." At that, his eyes crossed and he fell over backwards off his chair.

Alarain laughed at his unconscious form as people stepped over him. Legolas watched him as well before looking back to Eomer. "Game over."

Turning about, Alarain heard singing over the sounds of the feast. Merry and Pippin were up on a table, dancing and belting out a tune happily as the people nearby clapped along. She spotted Boromir leaning on a pillar and went to stand with him. He was staring at the two hobbits as they sang, but appeared to not be listening. As she came up to him, she saw the frown on his face.

"Boromir?" she asked, looking up at the man with a worried expression. He snapped out of his trance and glanced over to her. "What's wrong?" She kept her eyes on him and he sighed.

"It was my fault they were captured." he muttered.

Alarain sent him a look that said it all. He shouldn't feel guilty about something he had no control over. "They're safe now Boromir. Don't dwell on the past." she said gently.

He smiled. "I suppose you're right."

"Of course I am." the woman joked, giving him a friendly shove before wandering away.

The hobbits soon finished their song and another started up, though this time from the musicians. A dance floor cleared and was gradually filled with dancers.

"May I have this dance?"

She grinned at the elf's silly voice. "Of course you may, my princely elf."

Legolas laughed and pulled her out to the floor. They danced in silence for a moment before Legolas spoke. "So, Aragorn checked your wounds, did he?" he asked casually.

"Yes." she answered, eying him. His voice told her he was up to something.

"Huh." the elf grunted. The music slowed and he suddenly spun her over to the side, halting. "I'm tired." he announced. Alarain sent him a disbelieving look and he glanced behind her. "Aragorn!" She turned shyly to see the ranger with a suspicious look on his face as he watched the elf. Said elf grinned and spoke. "Why don't you take over." He motioned to the dance floor and gave him a shove towards Alarain before prancing off.

Aragorn looked down at her almost timidly and held out his hand. She took it and he pulled her close. They were silent as they danced and Alarain tried to look anywhere but into his eyes. She could feel his stare like she could feel his touch, and it made her nervous. Aragorn's hand around her waist tightened and she was forced to step even closer to him. His face was right next to hers and she could feel his breath tickling her ear. Slowly, Alarain rested her head on his chest and he squeezed her hand softly.

When the dance ended, Alarain slipped away from him and wandered outside. She had to calm her pounding heart and breathing in the cool night air helped. She yawned sleepily and decided to look for her new horse. She strolled down the stairs and made her way to the stables. The night was cool and she shivered, remembering she had forgotten her cloak. The green dress borrowed from Eowyn did little to keep out the wind.

As she reached the stable door, she stepped through and let her eyes adjust. Strolling along the middle, she peered into each stall, hoping to spot Fayna. A familiar bay mare was munching on some hay and Alarain leaned on her stall door.

"Hello Fayna." she greeted.

The horse looked up from her meal and snorted quietly, blowing cold air on her face.

"Fayna! I'm already cold without you breathing on me!" she whispered loudly.

Alarain suddenly turned at the sound of a moan. A man she had not noticed before was standing from the ground not far away. He swayed slightly and she realized he was drunk. Quickly heading for the door, she gulped at the thought of him stopping her. Sure enough, he stepped in her way.

"You're pretty." he said slowly.

She glared at him and made her voice low. "Excuse me?" she said, pretending to be a man.

He blinked in confusion. "What...?" With that, he passed out and fell to the floor.

Alarain breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't think she would've fooled him had he not fainted. Hurrying out, she made her way back to the Golden Hall.

Unknown to her, Aragorn was standing with Legolas outside and they saw her coming up the stairs. To their eyes, she looked quite frightened and Legolas spoke quietly to his friend. "Go Aragorn." he told him. Pushing him in her direction, he slipped away.

She reached the top and halted when she nearly ran into someone. Looking up, she saw the gray-green eyes awaiting her.

"Alarain? Are you alright?" he asked.

She ducked her head and avoided his gaze. "I'm fine." she lied, still shivering from the cold and from her run in with the drunk man.

Aragorn heard the lie and stepped closer, bringing his hand to her chin and tilting it up to look into her eyes. Alarain tried to look away, but he brought his other hand up as well and held her face so she had no choice but to look at him. Her heart pounded as his eyes flickered in between hers. He continued to stare at her and her heart began to thunder. His warm breath touched her face and she shivered again.

Normally, he would have fussed about her not having put on some warm clothing before coming outside, but he was slightly distracted. He began to lean in and she found herself praying not to be interrupted.

A loud yell for help sounded from inside and they spun around. Alarain felt oddly disappointed, but still exchanged a worried glance with the ranger before he sprinted off. She followed close behind and as they burst into the room where the men were sleeping, Alarain froze.

Pippin was on the floor, writhing in pain with a glowing sphere in his hands. It was the object he had found in the water at Isengard and now, it seemed as if he could not drop it.

Dashing forward, Aragorn grabbed it out of his hands and seemed to lose control of his body. He fell back and Legolas caught him. The flaming ball rolled out of his grasp and across the floor. A blanket flew through the air and covered it as Gandalf swung around.

"Fool of a Took!" the wizard exclaimed.

Alarain's eyes shot back to the hobbit and her heart sank. He was still lying on the floor with eyes wide open and unblinking. Merry was hovering over him and was shoved aside as Gandalf ran over. He knelt by the hobbit and rested his hand on his face. Uttering some words, he moved his arm and Pippin began to breath. He stared around in horror and gasped for breathe.

"Look at me." Gandalf ordered softly.

Pippin moved his eyes up and spoke. "Forgive me." he whispered before attempting to look away.

"Look at me." the wizard repeated, more forcefully this time. The hobbit obeyed and Gandalf spoke again. "What did you see?" he asked.

Closing his eyes, Pippin was quiet and scared as he told the wizard what happened. "A... a tree. There was a white tree in a courtyard of stone." Alarain looked over to Boromir and he had visibly stiffened. "It was dead." he continued. "The city was burning."

"Minas Tirith? Is that what you saw?" Gandalf asked and Boromir leaned forward to hear the answer.

Pippin however, ignored the question and his eyes grew wide. "I saw... I saw HIM!." he said, face growing terrified. "I could hear his voice inside my head."

"And what did you tell him?" Gandalf whispered, and shook the hobbit. "Speak!"

"He asked me my name. I didn't answer. He hurt me."

Gandalf looked at him with growing worry. "What did you tell him about Frodo and the Ring?"

Pippin stared up and the look in his eyes was completely honest as he answered. Things seemed to settle and Alarain slowly backed up, not wanting to draw attention to herself, especially from a certain ranger. She quietly slipped out and headed back to her room.

As she lay in her bed with Brenir at her feet, Alarain couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like had she and Aragorn not been interrupted again. Blushing, she pushed the thought away and her eyes closed.

It was dark when she was suddenly woken. A hand was over her mouth and she nearly screamed until she saw the handsome eyes above her.

"Shhh. It's only me." Aragorn whispered.

He removed his hand and she stared up at him. "Aragorn? What are you doing in my..."

She was cut off as he leaned down and kissed her forcefully, but at the same time, very gently. Her heart flipped and she stiffened at his move before relaxing and returning the kiss. His lips were warm on hers and as his arms snaked around her waist, she felt herself bringing her hands up to his neck. They were breathing heavily when he pulled back slightly, lips still brushing hers.

He sat back further and looked down at her with an almost worried expression on his face. "Sorry." he said, eyes still boring into hers. "I could not wait until tomorrow to try that."

Alarain felt her face burn and she smiled shyly. As Aragorn watched her different fazes of excitement, nervousness, and embarrassment, his smile grew.

"Stop that." she said, shoving him off and sitting up.

He laughed. "Stop what?"

"Stop giving me that look." Alarain pouted.

Aragorn rolled his eyes and crawled over beside her. He lay down and pulled her to him. With face just inches from hers, he looked deep into her eyes and sighed.

Brenir suddenly gave a loud snore and they laughed. He woke and looked around sleepily before plopping his head back down and groaning. Alarain rested her head down as well with a shaky sigh.

"I didn't know you cared for me in this way." Aragorn whispered in her ear.

Alarain's heart skipped. "I hardly knew either."

He laughed quietly and spoke again. "I think Legolas knew even before I did."

"Legolas knows everything, remember?" Alarain giggled.

"I believe Gimli and Boromir knew as well."

"Don't forget Theoden King." she added.

Aragorn looked back down at her. "He knew?"

Blushing, she nodded. "I've seen him giving us funny looks."

"Now that you mention it, so have I." he chuckled. Absently, Aragorn brushed a strand of hair out of her face and his touch sent chills up her back causing her to tremble slightly. He looked down again with a worried look. "Are you cold?"

"No." Alarain answered, cheeks heating yet again.

She glanced up to see his the corners of his lips twitching up. "You're blushing." he teased. Alarain hid her face in his tunic and he laughed. "Why?"

"You." she mumbled into his chest.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" he grinned. The darn ranger had obviously heard her loud and clear.

Alarain raised her head to look into his eyes. "You." she repeated, heart flipping at his closeness.

He continued grinning as he spoke. "You're blushing because of me?" Alarain nodded. "I'm honoured." he snickered, trying not to laugh. He didn't succeed and she buried her face in his chest again, heart pounding and cheeks colouring. He soon stopped and rubbed her arm slowly and softly. "I'm sorry Alarain." he whispered. "I shouldn't tease you. Especially not when it's about your... love for me."

She felt another chill run up her spine at his words. Peeking up, she saw he was watching her with interest. "Was Saruman telling the truth?" he asked quietly. Alarain nodded, gazing into his eyes and letting them glide across his ruggedly handsome face. The ranger leaned down and kissed her hair. "I'm glad." he whispered, arms tightening their grip on her.


	23. Chapter 23

**I was in a strange mood when I wrote this... **

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Alarain woke with the sun hitting her face through the window. Rubbing her eyes, she discovered that both Aragorn and Brenir were gone. Disappointment filled her for a moment before she got up. She wandered sleepily to the kitchen for some food and found her dog being spoiled with scraps. Rolling her eyes at him, she ate and went in search of Pippin to see how he was after his ordeal.

"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes." Gandalf's voice came. She followed it into the main hall to find him, as well as the rest of the fellowship, speaking with Theoden King. "A fool, but an honest fool, he remains."

Pippin was sitting in a chair with Merry at his side and she wandered over to lean on a pillar behind them. The hobbit turned in his seat and she gave him a smile. He half-smiled back and returned his gaze to the others.

"He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the Ring." the wizard said, and Gimli let out a breath beside Legolas. "We've been strangely fortunate." Gandalf continued. "Pippin saw in the palantir, a glimpse of the enemy's plan. Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith." Boromir's face hardened from his place beside Aragorn and he frowned deeply. "His defeat at Helm's Deep showed our enemy one thing." Gandalf looked over to Aragorn. "He knows the heir of Elendil has come forth. Men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still. Strength enough perhaps to challenge him." Alarain felt a rush of pride for Aragorn as the wizard spoke. "Sauron fears this. He will not risk the peoples of Middle-earth uniting under one banner." He paused. "He will raise Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees a king return to the throne of men. If the beacons of Gondor are lit, Rohan must be ready for war." he said to the king.

Theoden had been silent up until now and he looked annoyed. "Tell me." he began, looking across at Gandalf. "Why should we ride to the aid of those who did not come to ours?"

"What?" Boromir snapped.

His eyes moved to Boromir. "What do we owe Gondor?" he asked.

Boromir fumed. "How can you say that? Gondor wasn't even aware of what was happening at Helm's Deep!" A guard stepped towards him, but the king motioned for him to stop. "Even if they did, they could not have arrived in time." He glared at Theoden. "If you hadn't noticed, Gondor has it's own battles to fight."

The king glared calmly back and Aragorn spoke. "I will go." he whispered.

"No!" Gandalf said.

"They must be warned."

Gandalf looked back to him. "They will be." he said before slowly walking over to Aragorn. He spoke quietly to him and Alarain strained to hear. Gandalf finished and turned back. "Understand this. Things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride for Minas Tirith." He turned to Pippin. "And I won't be going alone." The hobbit shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. "Come Peregrin." he ordered before striding out of the hall.

Pippin looked confused and Merry began to follow the wizard. "Come on Pip!" he called, annoyance in his voice. He sent Alarain a worried look before rushing after Merry.

She watched them go and Boromir trudged past her, muttering to himself. She didn't follow and allowed him to blow off some steam alone. Instead, she decided to wish Gandalf and Pippin farewell and hurried after them. She had changed back into her ranger clothes and ran to the stables with ease. Entering, she saw Pippin was already up on Shadowfax and Gandalf was just mounting behind him.

"Run Shadowfax. Show us the meaning of haste." the wizard said before the horse took off. She jumped back and watched sadly as they rode away. Merry dashed past her and towards the wall. She watched him run up the stairs to a watchtower with Aragorn close behind. They stood together at the top and exchanged words. Alarain already missed the hobbit and wizard. Especially having just reunited with them.

She felt a presence by her side and turned to see Eowyn watching her. She gave her an encouraging look and spoke softly. "I'm sure they'll be fine Alarain. After all, from what I've heard, they've survived a great deal already." Alarain nodded her thanks to the woman before wandering away in silence.

The sound of a swords clashing came to her ears and she followed the noise. It lead her to a sparing arena where she found Boromir taking his anger out on Legolas. She watched and it became apparent that in his fury, Boromir wasn't doing very well. The elf easily blocked his hits with one of his knives while the other just hung in his hand by his side.

"I apologize Boromir, but I must be off." he said. Boromir halted his attack and frowned. Legolas quickly made his escape and Boromir noticed her.

"Do not say a word." he growled.

Alarain nodded and walked forwards. She drew her sword and faced him. He gave her a disbelieving look before raising his sword and swinging at her. She jumped back and his blade rang on hers. It vibrated her hand with the impact and she lost focus. He swung again and she ducked. He drove her back and she slipped under his swing and behind him. She brought her hand up just in time to block another crazy attack and he paused.

"Why did you stop?" she asked.

Boromir sighed. "I'm not the best sparing partner when you haven't practiced for a while." he said.

Her wrists were already aching with the weight of the sword and of his attacks, and she couldn't disagree that she was out of practice. "Alright." she agreed. "What shall we do then?" She sheathed her sword and gave him a questioning look. He shrugged, putting his sword away as well. A mischievous grin grew on her face. "We'll just have to get your mind on something else. Come on." With that, she strode away.

His footsteps followed and he was soon at her side. "How?" he asked, a worried look on his face.

"With some harmless trouble making." she smiled.

Boromir gave her a funny look and rolled his eyes. "What kind of harmless trouble making do you have in mind?" His voice was tentative.

"We'll see." she answered mysteriously.

He was silent as they wandered down to a marketplace. Alarain stopped and looked about. She soon spotted her prey.

Sneaking away, she motioned for Boromir to stay where he was. A man was sitting at an apple stand reading what looked to be a letter. He had his own apple on the table beside him and Alarain crouched down behind his chair. He was busy with his letter, so she stretched over and moved the apple to the other side of the table. She hid behind him and he absently reached for his treat. His hand waved at nothing and he looked up. A confused look came over his face and he reached over to grab his food. The man took and bite and placed it back down before returning to his letter.

Alarain peeked over to see a smile forming on Boromir's face as he watched. She repeated it and when the man reached over for his apple again, he found it was back on the other side of the table. He began to look around and Alarain quickly walked away, pretending to be looking at the stands. She made her way back to the apple man, and as she passed, she moved it again. Jogging back to Boromir, they laughed as they saw the man grow frustrated with his seeming possessed apple.

Boromir shushed her and walked nonchalantly by a stand, pretending to look over the bread that was being sold. When the saleswoman was distracted by someone else, he quickly rearranged her bread. He hurried back to Alarain and snickered.

"What did you do?" she asked, confused.

"Her bread now says 'hello'." he said with a laugh.

They looked over to see the woman turn back to her bread. She stared at it before looking around nervously. Alarain began laughing and the woman spun around. Her and Boromir quickly pretended to be deep in conversation and she looked away.

They wandered to another part of the market and Boromir put some salt into someone's cheese, Alarain switched peoples chairs, and they both completely moved a table. They got some weird looks for that one, but it was worth it when the person the table belonged to came back. He stood in the empty spot looking around in confusion until someone gave them away and he glared over. They hurried somewhere else after that.

As they strolled along, Boromir walked away and she waited and watched to see what he was going to do. He walked up to a stand selling eggs and spoke. "Excuse me. Do you sell eggs?" he asked.

The man looked at him like he was crazy. "Yes sir." he said.

Boromir moved his eyes to the eggs. "These aren't eggs." he said in disappointment.

"I believe you're mistaken sir." the man said again. "These are eggs. I collected them this very morning."

"Prove it." Boromir said.

Flustered, the man stared at him. "Pardon me?" he asked.

"Prove that these are indeed, eggs."

The man looked confused. "How?"

"Juggle them." Boromir ordered.

"Excuse me?"

"Juggle the eggs." the Gondorian said seriously.

The man looked around for help, but no one offered it. "I don't know how to juggle sir." she apologized.

"If you don't juggle them, how am I supposed to know they're eggs?" Boromir asked, leaning forward and looking him in the eye. He stuttered and Boromir spoke again. "Next time I see you, you'd better know how to juggle eggs." He eyed the poor man before marching away.

Boromir lost it half way back to her and burst out laughing. She had already lost it way before him and now they turned, about to look for another victim when they almost ran straight into Aragorn. They ceased their laughing and stared at him.

Aragorn was glaring at their guilty faces. "What in the name of all that is good, are you two doing?" he asked.

They glanced at each other like children who were just caught doing something naughty and Boromir quickly pointed at her. "It was her idea." he said. She whacked his arm and Aragorn just continued to glare at them. Boromir sighed. "Alright. I'll go back to the hall." he said grumpily before trudging off.

When he was gone, Aragorn turned his gaze back to Alarain. He crossed his arms and waited for an explanation. Alarain glanced up and him and he raised an eyebrow. "Care to tell me why you were disrupting the market?" he asked calmly.

"I was trying to get Boromir's mind off Theoden King. What he said about Gondor really bothered him." She looked down, no longer being able to hold his gaze.

"I care for you Alarain, but I do not care for what you were doing."

Her heart fluttered and, glancing up again, she thought she saw a hint of a sparkle in his eyes. "You have to admit it was quite funny." she said, trying to get a reaction. She got nothing, so she tried again. "I mean, it's not every day you see and grown woman and a grown man making trouble in a marketplace." Still nothing. "I wonder if that man is going to quickly try and learn egg juggling." She peeked back up and saw his lips twitch. She smiled sweetly up at him and batted her eyelashes.

Aragorn sighed and finally broke out into a smile. Alarain laughed and he spoke. "Alright. I suppose that was slightly amusing." he said before shaking his head in defeat. His face turned mockingly dangerous. "But if I ever catch you doing that again..." Before he could finish, Alarain dashed off, leaving him staring at her in confusion. He shook his head and shot after her.

Alarain ran like her life depended on it. She nearly fell a couple of times, but seeing Aragorn closing fast made her keep going. The woman wasn't sure why she had run, but now that she had, she couldn't let him catch her. Thoughts of what he would do if he did began to cloud her mind and she almost ran straight into Legolas as she hurried up the stairs to the Golden Hall. Swerving around him, she glanced back to see Aragorn nearly run into the elf as well. Inside, she quickly turned right and ran into the side halls. Her footsteps pounded loud on the wooden floor and her hopes of escaping quietly vanished.

Turning corners at random, she suddenly came face to face with door that lead outside. She knew because it had a small window with light coming through. Quickly grabbing the handle, she twisted. It didn't budge. _It's stuck!_ Aragorn suddenly came around the corner and Alarain spun to face him. He stopped and, panting, grinned with a dark, teasing look. She was breathing hard as well and they stared at each other for a moment.

Alarain suddenly jumped into action and yanked hard on the door. She looked to see the ranger walking slowly towards her. Her heart was racing and she desperately tried to get free.

She gasped when his arms slid around her waist and pulled her back into him. His breath was at her ear and he whispered very quietly. "You shouldn't have run." His voice was low and teasing and Alarain felt her heart jump like mad. All of a sudden, he turned her around and pinned her to the wall by her wrists. His eyes were sparkling as he gazed into hers, and she felt her legs weaken. His fingers slowly entwined in hers and she blushed.

"Alarain." he whispered before moving in. Their lips brushed and as Alarain let her eyes close, she felt him press forward and kiss her gently. His hands left hers and cupped her face while his thumbs caressed her cheeks softly. Her own hands then came down and grabbed onto his tunic front, pulling him closer. It was a soft, slow kiss, unlike the one the night before. Alarain felt all her fears and worries disappear when with him. Especially when she was with him like this.

They pulled apart slowly and gazed into each others eyes. Alarain smiled nervously and he moved forward again, kissing her with just the right amount of gentleness, passion, and force. He smelled of earth and pine trees, and the warmth of his body against hers made her melt. She felt lightheaded when he stepped back, panting and smiling. He moved his hands from her face to her hands on his chest and took them tenderly. Alarain was still dizzy, but she blinked it away and looked up at him.

Aragorn narrowed his eyes. "No torturing the marketplace." he whispered menacingly.

She felt her cheeks redden and was glad it was dark in the hall. The only light was from the small window in the door, and it wasn't bright enough for him to see her blush. She didn't answer him, so he leaned down and gave her cheek a soft kiss before letting her hands go and walking away. When he was gone, she slid down to the floor and let out a breath she had not known she'd been holding.


	24. Chapter 24

The following morning at breakfast, Legolas kept giving her and Aragorn smiling looks and Gimli rolled his eyes. The fellowship was sitting with each other at one of the tables in the Golden Hall when Boromir spoke up. "Alarain." he said, drawing her attention. "I was wondering..." he began. "What did Aragorn do to you yesterday?" Alarain stiffened and stared at him. He smiled. "You walked right by me to your room, but when I greeted you, you ignored me."

Alarain glanced around nervously. "I did?"

He nodded and Legolas spoke. "I too was wondering why you had been chasing her." he said to the ranger. "You both nearly trampled me on your way past."

Neither Aragorn nor Alarain offered an explanation and Gimli chuckled. Merry had been sitting quietly beside Boromir when he spoke up. "I don't get it." he said. Boromir leaned down and whispered something in his ear. A look of understanding came across his face before he smiled widely and glanced between the two of them.

"What did happen?" Boromir asked.

There was no answer and Aragorn got up to leave. All eyes except for Alarain's watched him go before turning back to her. Legolas and Boromir exchanged a look before getting up and sitting on either side of her.

"There's no escape for you lass." Gimli chuckled again.

Legolas leaned one elbow on the table and watched her face. With one of her friends on each side, there was no hiding her expression. Her face was hot and Legolas laughed. "Alarain. We won't let you go until you tell us." he threatened.

"You're all as bad as old ladies." she mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Boromir asked.

She looked up to him. "Old ladies love gossip." she explained.

Him and the others laughed. "I guess we are as bad as old ladies then. So? Are you going to tell us?"

Alarain's heart was beating rather fast with their teasing tones and she wished Aragorn would come save her or something. "Nothing happened." she lied.

Merry let out a huff. "Likely story Alarain." he snickered.

"Oh, just tell them." Gimli insisted. "They'll leave you alone if you do."

"No they won't." she countered.

Boromir and Legolas exchanged another glance. "And why is that?" the elf asked. "What happened?" he repeated.

"Nothing... he just..."

They leaned in. "Yes?" Boromir pried.

Blood pumped fast through her body as she spoke, remembering the moment with Aragorn. "We kissed, alright?" she admitted quietly.

"Finally!" Gimli cried. "About time that laddie did something!" What all of them didn't know however, was that it wasn't the first time.

Alarain felt herself blushing as they all watched her with growing smiles. Legolas sat up straight again and sighed. "Ah, love. It's a beautiful thing."

Boromir slid over so she could throw her legs over the bench and leave. He was grinning up at her and she gave him a hard glare.

Walking quickly away, she didn't run until she was out of the building. She needed some time alone and dashed to the stables to get Fayna out. She gave her a quick brushing before saddling her and mounting. Pushing her forward, she cantered out the gates and onto the plains. It was not long before she heard hoof beats behind her. She urged her mare into a gallop and smiled as the wind rushed past her. Glancing over, she saw her pursuer as he came up beside her. Brego was faster than Fayna, and Aragorn soon pulled in front. He turned his horse, slowing her down and they soon came to a halt.

"Alarain!" he said. "You shouldn't go out by yourself! It's not safe!"

"I can take care of myself!" she shot back. Aragorn looked quite stunned at her outburst. "I'm sorry." she said, looking away. "It's just, lately you seem to think I can't."

"Alarain." he said carefully. "I know you can."

She looked over. "Then why do you..."

"Because I worry about you." he interrupted. "You've begun to mean a lot more to me, and I don't want to lose you."

Alarain smiled. His words made her feel good. They made her feel special, and she liked that. Though his protectiveness was still slightly annoying, she agreed to go back with him. They trotted side by side through the gates and up to the stable. Putting the horses away in their respective stalls, she glanced over to see him watching her. She wished her horse farewell and they came out to the corridor again, meeting in the middle.

Aragorn said nothing but took her hand. He brought it up and kissed it, not moving his eyes from her. She blushed and he smiled before turning and striding out.

Soon, she found herself back at the sparing arena that she had come across Boromir in the day before. There were some guards practicing and she decided to watch.

They were well matched and neither of them seemed to gain the upper hand. After a moment, one of them saw her watching. He paused and came over. "Excuse me milady." he said, giving her a polite nod. "Are you the warrior woman that everyone speaks of?"

Alarain almost laughed at that. "I did not know that's what I've been dubbed, but I suppose I am." she answered with a grin.

They exchanged a glance and the other one spoke. "Would you care to show us your skills?"

She hesitated. "I've not practiced in a while."

"That's alright." the first one said. "We'll practice with you."

Alarain gave them each a look before giving in. "Alright, if you insist."

They smiled. "We do."

She walked into the middle and drew her blade. One moved towards her. "Ready?" he asked.

She sent him and nod and he attacked. It was easy to block and he gave her an impressed glance before trying again. This time, he lunged forward and stabbed, testing her abilities. She dodged to the side and twisted his sword away with hers. They continued for a while and she could tell he was holding back.

"Now it's my turn." the other guard said from his spot by the side. "And I won't go easy on you." he smiled.

The first one gave him a playful shove as they switched places. He unsheathed his sword and sprang at her right away. She wasn't expecting it and jumped aside to the side to avoid his sharp blade. He kept on her and she had to concentrate hard to block his crazy stabs and swings. Alarain was glad not to be wearing a dress, for if she had been, she would've tripped long ago.

His sword suddenly slipped off hers and sliced open her sleeve. The guard was about to apologize when he saw the scar. They both stared at it before looking up to her. Their eyes grew dark and one spoke. "You have the mark of Saruman. You must have been spying for him all along!" They advanced and Alarain watched in horror as they grabbed for her.

"No!" she yelled. "I would never work for him!"

She tried to get away, but they ignored her protests and took hold of her by the arms before pulling her along with them. "Come on." one said to the other. "Let's throw her in the dungeon. That'll teach her a lesson."

"Yes! Then we'll tell Theoden King of our find!" he grinned.

They yanked her roughly after them and through a door in the side of a hill. Another guard stood when seeing them. "What's this?" he asked.

"She's a spy of Saruman."

They showed him the scar and he glared. He then pushed her harshly into a cell. Closing the door, he locked it and sent her a wicked smile. "You witch." he growled before walking back to his post.

The others had left to tell the king already and she looked around in the dark. Her cell was slightly damp with cobwebs everywhere. She felt her heart pounding in fear and glanced over at the guard. He stood near the doorway to the dungeon smoking a pipe in a bored manner. Alarain slowly sat down on the floor as far from the walls as possible. They were covered in webs and she didn't wish to be close to any spiders. She wasn't terrified of them, but she'd rather not touch the creepy little critters.

**Aragorn's POV****  
**

Aragorn was speaking with Theoden when the two Rohirrim guards entered. They bowed low to the king and told him they had some news.

"Speak then." Theoden ordered.

They straighted and Aragorn watched in interest as they glanced at each other excitedly. One stepped forward and spoke. "We caught another of Saruman's spies." he announced.

The ranger was surprised and looked to see the same emotion on the king's face as well. "Well who is it?" Theoden asked. "And where is he?"

"Not he, sire. She." the second guard corrected. He too stepped forward. "It is the Lady Alarain milord."

Aragorn froze and a feeling of dread swept over him. _They saw her scar! _"What?" he yelled, startling the two guards. Rage suddenly came over him and he shot forward, grabbing the closest one by his shirt front. "What did you do to her?" he growled.

The man stared wide eyed and scared at his sudden outburst. He looked to the king for orders, but Theoden just watched him with shocked eyes. "We put her in the dungeon milord." he stuttered to Aragorn. The ranger pushed him away and rushed out of the building.

**Alarain's POV****  
**

Absently flicking a spider away from her, Alarain was still leaning back on the bars and hoping for help to come when she heard a commotion by the door. She turned to see the guard step in someone's way.

"I'm sorry, but you cannot enter milord." he said gruffly.

The shadowed figure in front of him stepped forward and glared him down. It seemed to have an effect on him, for he soon looked away and moved. Aragorn rushed past him and dashed to her side. She was relieved to find it was him. Had it been anyone else, she didn't know if they would've been able to intimidate the guard as he had.

"Alarain, are you alright? They didn't hurt you did they?" he asked, crouching down beside her.

She rolled her eyes at him through the bars. "I'm in a spider infested cell. How do you think I'm doing." Aragorn gave her a slightly annoyed look. "I'm alright." she said, giving him a clear answer.

He reached through the bars and took her hand. "What happened?" he asked quietly.

"I was practicing my sword work with them and one of their swords slipped. It caught my sleeve and ripped it." She showed him the rip that revealed the hand. "You can guess how the rest of the story goes."

"Did they hurt you?" he asked again.

Her arms were aching a bit from their rough yanking, but she didn't want Aragorn to know that. "No. They didn't. I'm fine."

He gazed into her eyes, looking for something. "I don't believe you." he whispered.

His thumb brushed the back of her hand and she leaned her head on a bar. It was almost a nice moment, except for the fact that they were in a dismal dungeon full of bugs.

Their heads swung around when there were more sounds from the doorway. The king entered, followed by Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, Merry and even Eowyn.

"Let me see your arm." the king ordered, coming to stand by the cell. She and Aragorn got to their feet and she silently pulled her ripped sleeve away. Theoden's face grew pained for a moment. "Did Gandalf know about this?" he asked. Alarain nodded.

"He knew about it and still trusted her." Aragorn insisted. "She is no threat to you. Gandalf would have known if she was."

Her friends were quiet as they looked for Theoden to speak. He appeared to be deliberating. "That is true." he said slowly. "Tell me then. How did you get such a mark?"

All eyes were on her. Aragorn was the only one present who knew how it had happened, and the others waited curiously for her answer. She felt small and scared with everyone waiting and watching, and when she hesitated too long, Aragorn spoke for her. "She was caught by Saruman. He thought she was a spy sent by you and tortured her." he said to the king. Theoden looked shocked at this news and his eyes moved back to her. "He put that mark on her before throwing her out. Not long ago, he began torturing her again, though this time in her head. He almost drove her to kill Boromir, but she somehow won the fight inside her and, instead of killing him, she saved his life." he finished and everyone seemed to hold their breath.

Theoden watched her thoughtfully, while her friends stared on in amazement and shock. Eowyn looked slightly impressed.

"Do you all trust her?" the king asked, turning to the others.

He received nods and proud smiles. Looking about again, the king asked the same question to Aragorn. He gazed over to her and his eyes were soft and full of care. "With my life." he whispered.

Theoden watched him carefully before turning to the guard that was waiting quietly by the door. "Release her." he ordered. "I apologize Alarain." he spoke to her as the man unlocked her cell. "Please, you must understand that we had been enemies with the White Wizard for a long time. After Grima, we cannot be too careful. Will you except my deepest apology?"

Stepping from the damp spider hole, she nodded. "I understand and I don't blame you. If I were you, I would be suspicious of me as well." she smiled.

She suddenly felt something wrap around her legs. Looking down, she discovered a hobbit had locked his arms around her legs and wasn't letting go. "I'm so glad you're alright Alarain!" he said. "Pippin leaving was bad enough. I don't think I could have handled losing another friend as well."

Giggling, she returned his hug. Gimli gave her a pat on the back and Legolas sent her a relieved smile. Boromir walked up next and grinned. "I didn't know Aragorn trusted you with his life, but I sure do." He too gave her a big brotherly hug and left with Legolas and Gimli. Merry finally let go and trotted after them.

"Milady." Alarain turned to see Eowyn still staring at her with amazement. "I cannot even begin to imagine what you have gone through. I'm just happy to see you out of that jail." she smiled.

Alarain sent her a nod and smile back before Aragorn spoke. "You must be tired." She only just noticed then how dark it was already. The sun was only a hand above the horizon and was shinning a brilliant orange. "Come with me." the ranger spoke again.

Before they left, Theoden apologized once more and she began to feel very awkward with the king practically groveling at her feet. Aragorn quickly lead her away before he could say anything more.

When they were out of sight, he took her hand and kept it all the way to her room. She was thankful for it as her eyes were beginning to fall and her feet were dragging. He brought her into her room and closed the door quietly as she let go of his hand and went to the bed.

Lying down still dressed in her ranger garb, she sighed and closed her eyes. Aragorn was halfway to her side when a whine sounded. He gave a frustrated sigh and went back to let Brenir in. The slowly fattening dog wandered to the bed and jumped up, turning in a few circles before plopping down. The ranger closed the door a second time and came to crouch by her side.

"Alarain." he whispered. A groan was her only answer. Aragorn sighed again and caressed her hand with his fingers. "Goodnight melamin."

His hand slipped away but she caught it. "Wait." He turned back. "Stay." she whispered.

He hesitated, but soon climbed beside her and she rolled over to him in her sleepy state. The ranger took her in his arms and held her tight.

Alarain blinked herself awake and looked up to his face. "What did you say?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" He looked back down at her and her heart skipped with his face so close.

"You said something in elvish. What did it mean?"

He paused, seemingly thinking about whether or not to tell her. Stroking her arm gently, he pulled her to his chest. "The word was melamin. It means 'my love'."

A smile grew across her lips, though he couldn't see, and her heart flipped. Snuggling closer, she felt his arms give her a small squeeze before she began to drift to sleep.

"Goodnight melamin." he whispered again, kissing her hair tenderly.


	25. Chapter 25

**Congratulations soulsistersinaslan! You've been paying attention! I (obviously) have not! I completely forgot that Gandalf did know about her scar and I've fixed that little problem! Thank you for catching it! *sheepish grin***

**And to randomreader19, I don't know my elvish very well, but I couldn't find anything about melenin... I found melamin at a website that I will post a link to on my profile. It's under Positive Endearments. IF ANYONE KNOWS THE CORRECT SPELLING FOR THE DARN WORD, I'D LOVE TO KNOW IT!****  
**

* * *

A tingling woke her up early the following morning. It was still dark outside her window. The feeling was coming from her arm, and as she investigated it, the strange sensation grew. The hand was still quite visible, though the dread that once surrounded it was gone. In it's place was a feeling of something lighter and happier. It made her feel brave, yet somehow scared at the same time. It was a feeling she had not experienced before and the poor woman didn't know what to think of it. She curled up again, holding her arm gently and closed her eyes, hoping for sleep to come. It did not.

Brenir twitched. He was most likely dreaming of more kitchen scraps. The silly dog gave a small woof and Alarain prodded him with her foot, not wanting him to wake anyone up. He got to his feet and stretched before wobbling sleepily over beside her and lying down once more. She turned to him and rested her hand on his body. She couldn't feel his ribs beneath his skin any more. _You are getting quite fat, _she giggled.

A whinny from the stables sounded through her window and she shivered. Aragorn had left sometime in the night and without his body warming hers, she was cold. Brenir helped slightly, though he didn't wrap his paws around her like the ranger wrapped his arms around her. _That would be strange..._

She rose and closed the window. Now that she was up however, Alarain knew she wouldn't be able to fall asleep again quickly. She snatched up the cloak she had received in Lothlorien and tiptoed out of her room. Sitting on the edge of the terrace outside Meduseld, she breathed in the cool night air and sighed.

Alarain felt a presence behind her and turned, finding Legolas watching her. She gave him a small smile and motioned for him to sit. He did and they stared out at the mountains together. There was a deep red glow on the eastern horizon and Alarain questioned him about it. "Why is it the sky is so red over there?"

"It is the light that comes from Mordor." he answered quietly.

Her heart churned at the name. "I didn't know it reached so far."

"Yes." the elf said darkly. "The glow is more evident than it used to be. The Dark Lord is gathering his forces. When the time is right, he will strike. Gandalf and Pippin will most likely reach Minas Tirith today. When they do, Gandalf will do whatever he can to light the beacons." He turned to her. "We can only hope that Theoden will answer the call for help."

She nodded slowly. "If he does not, what will happen?"

"Minas Tirith will fall. And after Sauron is finished with Gondor, he will move on and spread over all of Middle-earth. Theoden must answer the call." he spoke quietly. The last part was almost said to himself, as if it would help the king to decide.

They fell silent once more as a bird began it's morning song nearby. Thoughts ran aimlessly through her head and she turned her head at the sound of more footsteps. Boromir was up as well, and he came to join them. He sat down on her other side and sighed.

She turned to him. "Why the sigh?"

He smiled slightly. "It's nothing." he dismissed.

Legolas also looked over. "That, my friend, was not a 'nothing' sigh. Tell us."

Boromir looked down at his hands as he tried to avoid the conversation. "I've been away from my city for some time now and I fear that my father is not doing well with my absence." Alarain looked at him with questioning eyes and he continued. "He hasn't been the same man I grew up with for a while now. He has changed somehow."

Legolas sent him a sympathetic glance. "At least he is not without a son. You have a brother don't you?"

"Yes, but he hardly sees Faramir as a son." he said quietly.

Alarain spoke, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure he is doing just fine Boromir." It was a lame way of comforting him, but it was all she could think of saying.

Legolas stayed silent and Boromir gave another sigh. "I can only hope that you're right Alarain."

The three of them sat there in comfortable silence until Merry came and found them for breakfast. The hobbit had been very quiet the last few days. Ever since the departure of Pippin, it was like half of him was missing. Alarain suspected that he missed his cousin terribly. She sat with him for the meal and attempted to cheer him up, but he was unresponsive and only stared off into space. His appetite didn't seem to be affected though, for he had already had seconds when Alarain was just finishing her first helping.

After everyone had eaten, most of them wandered off and Alarain was left with Gimli and Boromir. The dwarf sat peacefully smoking his pipe while Boromir watched the occasional person walk through. She followed his gaze and saw Brenir wandering after one of the cooks. The woman was cleaning the tables and tossing him a leftover chunk of food here and there.

The next person to enter was Eowyn. She went to speak with the cook and Alarain noticed Boromir's eyes following her closely. He was across the table from her and she rested her elbows down, putting her chin in her hands and smiling at him. She raised her eyebrows and he caught her gaze.

He gave her a confused look. "What is it?" he asked.

Alarain giggled. "Thinking about anyone in particular?"

His face grew understanding and he laughed. "Actually, I was thinking of Faramir." She stared at him for a moment and he laughed again. "Not in that way, if that's what you are suggesting." She relaxed and he continued. "I was thinking about how Faramir might... enjoy the company of Lady Eowyn. Besides, I could not handle such a wild woman. She would drive me crazy. Faramir however, would be much more patient with someone like her."

Alarain smiled. "Is that why you didn't try to court me? Because I'm too wild?" she giggled.

He grinned back at her and spoke in a low, teasing voice. "You were already taken."

She knew she was blushing but ignored it. "I was not at the time I met you."

Boromir smirked. "The bond you shared with Aragorn said otherwise."

Still blushing, Alarain spoke. "What do you mean?"

"I knew you two shared something special from the moment I saw you together." he smiled. "You'd have to be blind not to see it."

"It's true lass." Gimli spoke up. He had been listening the the entire conversation quietly, but now he had something to add. "I saw it as well. I think the ones who were blind were you and the ranger himself." he said before turning his attention back to his pipe.

Boromir turned back to her, grinning teasingly. She sent him a glare across the table and he snickered.

"Anyways." she said purposefully. "We were talking about Eowyn and your brother. I think that we should make sure they meet." Alarain suggested.

"I think that is a grand idea." Boromir smiled. "And Faramir doesn't like me meddling in his romantic life, so that will make it even more fun."

Alarain laughed and rolled her eyes. She soon wished the two farewell and wandered outside. The sun was already quite high and she went for a stroll through the streets. It was a lovely day. The sun was hot, but the wind made the air nice and cool. She was startled out of her thoughts when she felt a presence beside her. Aragorn had quietly joined her and was now looking down and studying her.

"You're not planning on doing anything here are you?" he asked. She looked back to him with confusion across her features. Aragorn gestured around them. "We're in the marketplace. I hope you're not looking for trouble."

Alarain giggled sheepishly. "No. I don't have anyone to try and cheer up today."

"How is your arm?" he asked all of a sudden. When she hesitated the slightest bit too long, he stopped her. "Is it alright?" His face was concerned and she couldn't hide her expression. Aragorn saw right away that there was something she wasn't telling him and took her hand. He lead her away from the crowds of the market and into a small alley. He turned her towards him again and watched her face intently. "Tell me." he said gently.

Alarain sighed. "When Saruman died, my arm felt an odd sensation that I've never felt before. It was as if a great weight had been lifted, but left a feeling of... of responsibility." Aragorn said nothing but only continued to watch her. "I felt it again this morning, though it was almost nice and made me feel brave and scared at the same time."

Her gaze had drifted down from his face and he tilted it up again. She knew he could see the her fear in her eyes, yet it felt good to tell someone.

"Tell me if you feel it again, or if you feel anything else." he whispered. She nodded and he gently pulled her into a hug. Letting her head rest on his chest, she let out a sigh. She was glad to have someone to talk to about it without having to worry what they would think. She was also glad that she had someone to hold her how he was. She was glad to have him.

It seemed too soon when they pulled apart. He watched her with care shining in his eyes and took her hand again. Leading her away once more, he wandered to the side of a building and sat down. She slid down beside him and looked out at the White Mountains.

Her eyes wandered, but soon halted on one of the peaks. "What is that up there?" she asked, pointing to the small object.

Aragorn's gaze followed her finger. "That is the beacon of Amon Anwar, or Halifirien as it is known to the people of Rohan. If Gandalf persuades Lord Denethor to send for help, that beacon is what we will see light up."

They stared at it for a long time, almost as if they were trying to force it to light with their own eyes.

"Would Gandalf and Pippin have reached Minas Tirith by now?" she asked quietly.

He nodded. "If they were not delayed."

As Alarain stared, her eyes seemed to play tricks on her. The beacon looked as if it was blazing bright against the sky, but it could not be. _Could it? _Aragorn was also watching it with interest, getting up and taking a few steps forward. She blinked and rubbed her eyes. It still shone with a fiery light. It was lit! They glanced at each other before Aragorn took off. She stared at the beacon for a moment longer before quickly scrambling after him.

She ran behind the ranger as he dashed up the stairs to the Golden Hall. He burst through the doors, causing a few surprised looks. In a very uncharacteristic way, he shouted loudly as he entered. "The beacons of Minas Tirith! The beacons are lit!" He ran up to the king and his voice quietened. "Gondor calls for aid."

Everyone froze and watched as Theoden thought. She caught a glimpse of her friends, including Boromir, looking very expectant.

"And Rohan will answer." Theoden King said in a proud and determined voice. "Muster the Rohirrim!"

Boromir looked relieved and she caught his eye, giving him a smile. He nodded his thanks for her understanding and she turned back to Aragorn.

"Go pack your things." he said. "We will most likely be leaving as soon as possible." She nodded and turned to slip away through the crowd that had gathered, but Aragorn caught her arm and she looked back to him. "You could stay..."

She cut the ranger off with a shake of her head and a glare before turning from him and leaving. As she found her way to her room, she was joined by Brenir, who could most definitely tell that something was happening. She quickly packed some supplies in a saddlebag and headed out to look for her friends.

Just outside the stables, she found Fayna already tacked up with Aragorn and Brego waiting for her. She secured her saddlebags on and looked around. There were already many Rohirrim ready and waiting to leave and their horses were all on edge, prancing around in excitement.

Glancing back up to Meduseld, Alarain raised her eyebrows at what she saw. "Is that Merry up there with the king?" she asked.

Aragorn smiled. "It seems to be. Perhaps he wishes to fight as well."

"Or at least to come." she said, exchanging a glance with the man.

Legolas and Gimli were not far off and she heard the dwarf complaining, yet again. "Horseman." he scoffed. "I wish I could muster a legion of dwarves, fully armed and filthy!"

"Your kinsman may have no need to ride to war. I fear war already marches on their own lands." the elf answered, almost sadly.

As she cast her gaze about, Alarain took in the many horses and riders that crowded around and her heart tightened. _Many of these men will not live to see their families again, _she thought sadly. _These are not just soldiers. These are individual people, each with their own story. Their families might lose fathers, husbands, sons._ Looking over at Aragorn, she felt her insides twist. _He might die. I might die. Any one of my friends could die.__  
_

The ranger that she was watching mounted Brego and she followed his lead. "Where are we headed?" she asked him.

"To the refuge of Dunharrow." Aragorn answered. "Theoden King is gathering his forces there. In three day, we ride for Minas Tirith." She nodded slowly at his words a chill ran up her spine. _Minas Tirith... and war._

"Now is the hour, Riders of Rohan. Oaths you have taken! Now, fulfill them all! To Lord and Land!" Eomer's voice was strong and commanding as he spoke.

Then... they were off. With the king in the front, the army galloped out through the gates. Alarain rode up front with her companions and glanced down to see that Brenir was running beside her. _He can come as far as Dunharrow, but I will not let him go any_ _further_, she thought protectively. Alarain looked back and noticed Eowyn was also riding with them, as well as some other women.

Aragorn saw her gaze and answered her unasked question. "She said that the women go as far as the camp to see the men off. I however, do not believe that to be her reason for coming." Alarain looked over to the ranger with questioning eyes. Once again, he answered without her speaking. "I suspect that she is planning to ride to war as well."

"What? Has she ever fought orcs before?" Alarain was quite startled at this discovery and it showed in her face.

"I do not know the answer to that." he said simply. "However, I know how you would feel if I tried to stop you from fighting. I'm sure Eowyn feels the same." He glanced over as if wishing she would miraculously decide to stay at Dunharrow and not ride to war.

His hopes were squashed when she answered. "I know what you're thinking, and I'm still coming." she said stubbornly. "And if this is the way Eowyn feels, then I'm not going to try and stop her." Alarain's glance moved to him and she saw the look in his eyes. Her words softened. "I know you're worried about me." she said quietly. "I'm worried about you as well. That does not however, mean that I'm going to try and convince you not to fight."

Aragorn watched her for a moment, his face expressionless. His eyes lowered and he nodded. He was quiet and as she gazed at him, she couldn't help but wonder what was going on in that ranger head of his.

She realized she was staring and, moving her gaze, it landed on Gimli. He was watching them with interest and when she narrowed her eyes at him, he grinned. The dwarf had definitely caught her watching Aragorn. Her eyes then moved up and saw Legolas watching her as well. He had his eyebrows raised and she sent him a glare. His eyes twinkled teasingly and Boromir rode in between them.

"Oh, leave them alone you two." She was about to send the Gondorian a look of thanks when he turned to her and Aragorn. "Can't you see they're having a private moment." he grinned.

Alarain felt her cheeks heat up. She still wasn't used to the fact that practically everyone knew of their feelings for each other. The grumpy woman fake stabbed Boromir with an invisible sword and he pretended to be drastically wounded. She rolled her eyes at his childlike antics, but he only smiled and went to ride with Eomer.

A hand rested on her leg and she looked to see Aragorn giving her a small smile. His gaze calmed her and she reached for his hand. He let her take it and gave it a squeeze as the column continued on their road to war.


	26. Chapter 26

**Well hello there! I have to admit that I've been in a rut with this story recently. I usually have a few chapters already written, but now I've only got part of chapter 27 and that's it. I have however, been writing a bit of a new story that I'll be uploading right after this. It's a tiny bit different then this one seeing as how the main character is a horse. Yes. That's right. No you did not read that wrong. I did write horse. Not an elf, human, hobbit, or dwarf. A horse. It's going to be called 'The Secret of a Horse's Heart.' I'd love for you to go check it out! Please and thank you! Enough of this silly author note! On with the story!**

**P.S. Romance alert!  
**

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It was late afternoon when the column arrived at Dunharrow. Tents had already been pitched and there were soldiers all over the place. Alarain used her legs to point Fayna after her companions while she looked around. Theoden King listened intently as he was told how many men had come. He soon led the way up a winding path to a large flat plateau that looked out over the camp below. There were many more tents up there as well, and as they rode through, Alarain saw a very big one that she supposed was the king's. Her suspicions were confirmed when he stopped his white steed at the entrance. A soldier took his horse and he turned to them.

Her friends also dismounted and Aragorn went to speak with the king. They had walked to the edge of the cliff and Alarain wondered closer to hear what they were saying.

"Less then half of what I'd hoped for." Theoden spoke quietly.

_How many had come?_

"Six thousand will not be enough to brake the lines of Mordor." Aragorn said with a frown as he looked down at the refuge.

_Oh...__  
_

Theoden turned to the ranger. "More will come." he said, though clearly he wasn't sure.

"Every hour lost hastens Gondor's defeat." She had to strain to hear Aragorn. He looked over to the king and spoke again. "We have 'till dawn, then we must ride."

She was surprised at his tone when he spoke to the king. Aragorn had practically given him an order. Theoden however, only gave a small smile and nod before turning at the sound of a terrified horse. She turned as well, but not before Aragorn spotted her and narrowed his eyes. He'd caught her listening in and obviously didn't agree with it.

The horse was prancing around and giving off loud neighs while a man tried to calm it. Theoden departed for his tent when the soldier finally got the horse under control and Aragorn too wandered away. She spotted Boromir and went to join him. He was with Lord Eomer who glanced over as she neared before turning back to the mountain.

"The horses are restless, and the men are quiet." came the voice of Legolas as he and Gimli approached.

Eomer turned to them. "They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain." He looked back to the cliff that towered above them with a suspicious expression. She followed his gaze to see a long gap in the rock face that lead into the heart of the mountain.

Gimli had noticed it as well. "That road there." he said. "Where does that lead?"

"It is the road to the Dimholt. The door under the mountain." Legolas said, something close to fear showing in his eyes.

Lord Eomer turned back to the group. "None who venture there ever return." He looked to her before continuing. "That mountain is evil. It is best you keep your distance from it."

Boromir had kept quiet, but now he spoke. "What is at the end?"

Legolas answered. "The Paths of the Dead." That was all the information he offered before striding away. He obviously didn't enjoy the subject.

She and Boromir exchanged a glance and she shrugged. He moved his eyes back to the mountain and his expression grew confused. She followed his gaze to see Aragorn staring into the gap. He took a few steps forward and jumped when Gimli came up behind him. His face was startled and he glanced back to the road with wide eyes before following the dwarf.

"What was that about?" Boromir asked, though he didn't expect an answer. They were silent and he turned to her. "Alarain?" he began. His voice was reluctant.

"Yes?" she pried. "What is it?"

"Do you believe that Aragorn would be a good king?"

Alarain stared at the Gondorian. She had not been expecting that question. "Yes." she said quietly. "He is a smart man. He knows much of the world and has knowledge of many things. He is also kind and fair. I do believe that he would, though I'm not sure he does."

Boromir didn't answer for a moment. "I agree." he smiled slightly. "Though my father would not." He gave her a nod and walked off to be alone.

Watching him go, she frowned. _What if Aragorn does want to become the king, but Denethor doesn't let him? What will happen then? _She shook the troublesome thoughts from her mind and wandered away.

Giving Fayna a pat as she passed, she noticed that the horses were still very restless. The woman's eyes shot to the mountain again and a feeling of unease seeped through her. Walking quickly away, she found herself at the side of the plateau. There were a few bushes that sat in between the tents and the side of the rocky cliff face and she smiled happily as she walked among them. She felt good around the greenery, which just convinced her even more that she could be one of the Dunedain. The vast plains of Rohan were still magical in her eyes, but when she was amongst trees, she felt at home.

She sat down in the grass under a shrub and looked out over the camp below. Dawn was falling and the sky began to turn a beautiful shade of orange as the sun sank behind the horizon. Moving her gaze back down to the tents that were scattered across the valley, she frowned again. She was restless and something was bothering her, though she had not a clue what. Darkness came as she sat there, but she was not tired and did not move.

As she stared off at nothing, a great wind seemed to blow through her bones. She shivered when something close to an exhale could also be heard on the breeze. The wind left as soon as it had come. She thought it strange, but pushed it from her mind and continued in her trance.

"Alarain?" She spun around at the voice, startled and slightly frightened. It was only Aragorn and she calmed immediately at his presence. "What are you doing still awake?" he asked, stepping towards her.

She rose and turned to him. "I could ask you the same thing?" The ranger raised an eyebrow and she shrugged. "I'm not tired."

He nodded slowly. "Alarain." he said again. She looked up to his gaze to see him looking down to his hands. Following his eyes, she saw he carried his sword in it's scabbard.

"Why do you have your sword?" she asked.

Aragorn looked back to her and smiled slightly. "This sword has come to mean a great deal to me. Don't laugh." he said, eying her. "It's become almost a friend. However, I no longer need it."

Her face showed her confusion. "Why?" she asked quietly.

He sighed and seemed to ready himself. He propped the sword against a bush and reached to his side. She let out a gasp as he drew another from it's sheath. It was a blade she knew all too well. Her eyes snapped up to his and saw a look of worry on his face. "This is Anduril. It was forged from the shards of Narsil." he said, voice quiet.

"How did you come to get it?" she asked in a whisper as she stared at the famous blade in amazement.

"Lord Elrond brought it to me."

Her stare flashed back to his face. "He's here?"

"Yes. Arwen somehow managed to persuade him to reforge it before she left." he answered.

"What do you mean? Before she left where?"

He met her gaze again and spoke softly. "She has sailed across the sea Alarain. Elrond said that she told him to wish you farewell before she departed. She also said... to follow your heart."

Alarain's heart was too busy feeling sad to follow at the moment. _Arwen has left...__  
_

"Alarain?" The ranger sheathed Anduril and picked up his old sword again. "I've told you how much this sword means to me, and I don't wish for it to fall into any unworthy hands. It only seems fit that I should give the sword that means so much to me to the woman that means so much to me." She couldn't stop the smile from spreading on her face at his words. "Will you keep it safe for me?"

"I'll protect it with my life." she whispered, taking it from his hands. His fingers brushed hers as she did and he smiled back.

"Hopefully it will protect your life." Aragorn whispered. "Would you do me the honour of one more training session before the battle?" he asked with a crooked grin.

She nodded and they unsheathed their blades. The two circled each other for a moment before she attacked. Aragorn blocked and twisted so her sword was at an odd angle. He dashed in to swing and she quickly brought her arm down and pushed his sword away with hers. She stepped back and he moved forward. Swinging, he faked his attack left but turned and she felt his blade at her right side. He had stopped it just before it met her body and was thankful. The blade looked sharp.

Her wandering thoughts proved a nuisance when he swung again. His sword sang over her head as she duck and jumped back. Her back hit the hard rock of the cliff side and she rolled along it as Aragorn continued his attack. She suddenly remembered her trick in Lothlorien and braced herself against the stone. She readied her body to spring forward, but he saw through her and before she could launch her weight on him, he twisted her sword out of her grasp and stepped closer, blade to her throat.

With her back to the rocks and Anduril at her neck, she admitted defeat. Aragorn however, didn't back off. Instead, he tilted his sword up so she raised her chin. He stepped closer again and she felt his body heat warming the air around her. His eyes were soft as he gazed at her and she felt herself begin to blush. He was studying her face and she knew he could most likely see her cheeks colouring.

Aragorn half-smiled and slowly moved forward. The metal on her neck was cold and as he leaned closer, he brought his blade up and forced her face up to meet his lips. He soon removed the sword and, still kissing her softly, rested it against the cliff face. She felt one of his hands come to her face and his fingers tickled her cheek as he moved his body closer.

It was a very vulnerable feeling, being caught between him and the rock, but she liked it. She trusted this man completely, and if he wanted to kiss her like this... well... she'd let him.

She brought her hands up to his chest and pulled him towards her by his shirt. His heart was beating fast under her hands and she had to control herself when she had the sudden urge to relieve him of his tunic.

Aragorn's hands wound their way around her waist and held her protectively. He suddenly pulled back and they were both breathing hard. "I must leave." he whispered, resting his forehead on hers and staring into her eyes with a knee weakening look.

It took a moment for her to register what he had said, and when she finally did, she pushed him back to look at him properly. "What? Where? Why?"

He laughed at her questions, but the look in her eyes silenced him. He still had his hands on her waist and she on his chest and he sighed. "I must take the Dimholt road." he said quietly.

Alarain pushed him farther back and he let go of her. She stared at him, a look of pain in her eyes. "Then I'm coming with you."

His face hardened. "No."

"Yes."

"Alarain." His voice had grown slightly dangerous sounding and she frowned. It softened again as he spoke. "Please. I don't know how dangerous it will be and if you..." he trailed off. "I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you." He stepped closer again but she put her hands up to stop him. He backed off but continued. "Please trust me Alarain." he whispered.

"I'll still be riding to war with Theoden."

Aragorn's gaze fell. "At least you know what you are riding into. I don't know for sure what lies down that road." His eyes flashed back to hers and she saw pain and worry swirling around in them. "Please don't make me leave with you angry."

Her frown softened. They watched each other carefully for a moment before both moving in unison. Aragorn's arms around her were so tight she could hardly breath, but she didn't care. She wrapped her arms around him as well and nuzzled her face into his neck. His hair tickled her cheek as he looked down. "I love you." he whispered in her ear.

"I love you too." she answered quietly, joy running through her veins. He'd never actually said those three words to her before now, and it sent her heart pounding and her stomach flipping. "Don't die or I'll kill you."

She felt him laugh. "I'll try not to die if you don't."

"Alright." she whispered.

Aragorn stepped back and his eyes sparkled with care. He gave her one more quick kiss before turning and striding away. Her eyes followed him until he was out of sight before she looked away collect her new sword from where it lay on the ground. She ran her fingers gently over the blade before sheathing it. Attaching it to her hip, Alarain slowly walked back to the camp.

Making her way among the many tents, she paused. Something was wrong. She turned her head to see that Brego was gone, but so was Arod. Fayna still stood tied up next to Boromir's chestnut stallion, who she had learned was called Deorlig. Boromir had just finished speaking with a Rohirrim soldier when he saw her. He walked over with a worried look on his face.

"Legolas and Gimli went with him." the man said as he neared. Her face fell visibly and he spoke again. "Aragorn asked me to stay and made me promise to keep an eye on you, so come with me." He began to stroll away and she dragged her feet as she followed. "Hurry up. You're acting like a child." he teased. Alarain didn't reply so he stopped. "You will see him again." She looked up to see he had a fierce look in his eyes. "He_ must_ come out of there. If he does not, then all hope is lost. So are you going to mope about, or get something to eat. You've hardly eaten a thing all day."

Alarain sighed. "Alright." was all she said.

Boromir lead her to a campfire that was currently surrounded by Eomer and some of his soldiers. Passing her a plate of food, the Gondorian sat down and motioned for her to join him. She did, though her mind and her heart were far from the camp. Eomer looked confused at the faraway gaze in her eyes and turned to Boromir for a explanation. He didn't give one and only shook his head, signaling him not to ask her about it.

Alarain was suddenly startled out of her thoughts when Merry walked past her, exiting from the tent behind them. He was swinging a small sword around and she heard Eowyn's voice. "To the smithy, go!" she laughed. Merry ceased his practicing and trotted off.

"You should not encourage him." Eomer said, glaring into the fire.

Her heart clenched in annoyance and Eowyn spoke. "You should not doubt him."

"I do not doubt his heart... only the reach of his arm." Eomer muttered while a soldier beside him let out a quiet laugh.

"Why should Merry be left behind? He has as much cause to go to war as you." Eowyn countered.

She began to walk away, but her brother rose and made his way slowly after her. "You know as little of war as that Hobbit." Eowyn paused. "When the fear takes him and the blood and the screams and the horror of battle take hold. Do you think he would stand and fight?"

Boromir had been watching with anger in his eyes and now he spoke. "Eomer." he growled dangerously.

The man ignored him and his eyes stayed on Eowyn. "He would flee, and he would be right to do so." He put his hand on his sister's shoulder. "War is the province of men, Eowyn."

Alarain's blood had begun to boil, and now as those words came out of his mouth, she snapped. No longer caring that this man was next in line for the throne of Rohan, she sprang up, ran over, and punched him right in the jaw.

"Alarain!" Boromir exclaimed. He shot up as well and grabbed her arms, pulling her away from the other man. Eomer slowly turned and stared at her in shock. His expression soon changed to that of a glare.

"You know nothing of Merry so do not go assuming you do!" she shouted at him. A crowd soon began to form as she grew more and more angry. "He has been through countless battles and survived! He has lived through orcs, trolls, Ringwraiths, and even a Balrog! Him and Pippin are the reason that Isengard was defeated and that Saruman is dead!"

Eomer still looked shocked and mad at the same time, and he now took a step towards her. A low growl sounded at her side and everyone turned to see Brenir with his teeth bared. Eomer backed away as the dog advanced. With hackles raised, he stood between her and Eomer.

Boromir suddenly let go, springing back and staring at his hand. It was red hot. She took no notice, but fled from the crowd. Her anger was raging and she could tell something was wrong. Her arm had grown heavy and as she looked under her sleeve, she saw that the hand mark was bubbling. Tears began to fall and she retreated to the comforts of the undergrowth by the sides. As she slumped to the ground, Brenir ran up beside her and licked her face. He sat down and gazed back to camp, keeping a lookout for Eomer.

She sat there for what seemed like days, crying over everything. Brenir growled and she jumped, looking up to see who was approaching. It was Boromir. Brenir was still unsure and she let out her own quiet growl at him, letting him know that she was fine with Boromir's presence.

Brenir moved and the Gondorian took his spot beside her, resting a blanket around her shoulders. They were silent and she didn't even bother to wipe away her tears for she knew that he had seen them already. "You've had an eventful night. You should sleep." Boromir said quietly.

"I don't want to go back to camp." Alarain muttered.

Boromir looked over to her. "Then sleep here. I'll stay and make sure you are left to your rest."

The woman smiled slightly. "Thank you." she yawned. She lay back in the grass among the undergrowth and Brenir settled himself down beside her. Lifting up her head, she looked back at Boromir. "Did I hurt you?" she asked.

He glanced at his hand. It was still slightly red, but did not look burnt. "No. Don't worry about me." She nodded sleepily and rested her head down again. "I hope I can keep you alive until you see Aragorn again." Boromir whispered, leaning back on a stone. Alarain laughed a little before falling into a dreamless sleep.


	27. Chapter 27

**Oh boy. I had quite a bit of trouble somewhere in the middle of this, but now it's done and I think I like it. Tell me what you think? Also, thank you for all the reviews. I never thought anyone would enjoy this story as much as you seem to. This is the first story that I've ever shown to anyone and the longest story I've ever written. I don't know if I would have ever finished it if no one liked it. But don't worry, I'll do my best to make it to the end! I'll also try to explain this White Hand business soon. ;)**

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It was near dawn when Alarain woke. Boromir was gone, though by the warmth in the grass beside her, he had only left moments before. Brenir had also disappeared, and it seemed he had been gone for a while.

Rising stiffly, Alarain began to wander back toward the camp, but paused when she heard something. Peeking around a bush, she spotted Eowyn. She had her horse and was clad in all armour except for a helmet.

Alarain walked silently up behind her. "So you are riding to war then milady?" Jumping, Eowyn spun around and stared at her. She opened and closed her mouth a few times before Alarain interrupted her. "Don't worry Eowyn. I'm not going to give you away. In fact, I'll do all in my power to help you."

Eowyn relaxed visibly and finally answered. "Thank you Alarain." She paused. "I'm sorry about what my brother said."

"There is no need for _you_ to apologize." she answered with a tight smile. Her expression turned worried and Eowyn questioned why. "I'm the one who will most likely have to apologize to him." Alarain frowned. "I hit him."

Eowyn scowled. "You will do no such thing." she said, determination in her voice. "He deserved that punch."

She laughed for a moment. "I may not have a choice." Alarain said, smile falling again. "He is the next in line for the throne of Rohan... and I'm in Rohan."

"You won't be for long." Eowyn grinned sneakily, putting on her helmet. "Now, you must not call me Eowyn anymore." The armoured woman appeared to be thinking hard. "What do you think of Dernhelm?"

Alarain smiled. "It doesn't stand out, nor is it terribly unheard of. I think it will do quite nicely."

"Thank you. It means secret protector."

Nodding, Alarain approved greatly. "I must go ready Fayna to leave." She turned to go only to look back to the armoured woman. "Eowyn? Have you seen Brenir? He was with me last night, but when I woke, he was gone."

Eowyn looked worried. "No I have not. If you don't find him soon, I fear you may have to leave him without saying goodbye."

Her stomach twisted. "I'll go look for him now then." She wished Eowyn good luck and marched back to the tents. Nearly running into Boromir on her way, she questioned him about her dog.

"I've not seen him since last night. I saw him leave, but I assumed it was just to do his business." He frowned. "I'll help you look, though you also need to get ready."

Alarain shook her head. "I'm already fit to ride. I don't need anything."

He laughed. "Actually, part of my promise to Aragorn was that I make sure you wear armour."

"Ugh! Fine!" she grumbled. "Can you help me look for Brenir now?"

Boromir nodded. "When he left, he went towards the mountain."

They made their way quickly through the tents, peeking around for any sign of the dark brown dog. Boromir questioned some Rohirrim soldiers, but none had seen him. Alarain was crouching on the ground when she saw something. A paw mark hidden beneath the many hoof prints. She called Boromir over and he too crouched down. "Well spotted."

Alarain gulped. "Look where it's leading."

"Oh no." Boromir said slowly as he raised his eyes. Sure enough, the trail lead right down the road into the mountain.

"He followed Aragorn." she shuddered. "Is he mad?"

"Either that or he knows what's down there." Boromir stood. "We can do no more Alarain. He's chosen his path and you've already chosen yours. Come. I need to find you some armour." With that, he helped her to her feet and lead her away from the path.

Alarain's eyes didn't move from the road until it was out of sight. Her heart pounded in fear with the thought of her beloved dog hurt, and as Boromir fitted her with armour, she stared blankly out at the soldiers as they readied their horses.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, she frowned and went to get Fayna. Boromir watched her leave with worry in his eyes, but she ignored him. She found her steed tacked up with Deorlig beside her. Alarain was already mounted and trotting away when Boromir caught up. He too climbed onto his horse and quickly cantered after her.

Alarain spotted a familiar figure and watched as Eowyn lifted Merry up in front of her. A smile formed on her lips. _Merry wanted to come, so he's coming. No one is being left behind if they want to fight.__  
_

Boromir came up beside her and together, they galloped past the Rohirrim soldiers to find Theoden and Eomer up front. Alarain didn't make eye contact with Eomer and he rolled his eyes. She knew exactly what he was thinking. _Women!__  
_

Theoden gave the order and she was surprised at Fayna's excitement as they set off. _She used to be a soldier's horse though, so she must know when she's riding into battle.__  
_

Glancing back, Alarain caught her breathe at the sight. Thousands of horseman were galloping after their king, ready to give their lives for him. She felt a burst of pride at her old home's loyalty and as she looked ahead, her mind turned to the fast approaching fight. All she could do was hope that they would arrive in time. Boromir was looking equally worried at the king's side. It was his city they were racing to save after all.

They rode all day and only paused to let the horses catch their breathe before Theoden gave the signal to move out. Alarain was drooping in her saddle by the time dawn approached. The column stopped at nightfall to rest and as she slipped from her saddle, Alarain felt the muscles in her legs twitching with the strain of riding.

She sat down in a daze and watched the men as they gulped down water and lay panting in the grass. Boromir wandered over and handed her a canteen. Thanking him, she took a small drink, but her Gondorian friend insisted she have more.

After Boromir had left, she heard Eomer shouting something. They were to leave again at midnight. Alarain groaned, lay on her back, and closed her eyes, not bothering to move from her place beside Fayna. The horse looked at her curiously before dropping her head to graze.

Some time later, she was awoken by a soldier. It was time to move. Glancing at the retreating figure, Alarain smiled when she recognized the armour of Dernhelm.

Her time in the saddle was not a memory she would like to remember in later days. Alarain was aching from the constant movement and burning in the sun under her heavy armour. Her eyelids were drooping from hardly a blink of sleep and her heart was heavy. The thundering of many hooves around her caused her head to pound as well.

In time, the sun came up. It beat down heavily on the army and Alarain found herself wishing for the snow of Caradhras. The day sped by and soon they were camped again. The moon appeared and everyone sighed with relief as the cool night air swept in. That night, they were allowed to rest a while longer and were risen just before dawn.

"We will reach Minas Tirith today." Boromir said as he helped her into the saddle. "Let us hope we will get there in time."

Again, the column rode through the heat of the day, but as they neared their destination, the sky began to grow darker.

Boromir had caught her looking up and spoke. "It seems Mordor has already sent the sun away, for these are not natural clouds."

Alarain glanced over to see that his face looked pained. "We _will_ get there in time Boromir." He lowered his eyes and she spoke again. "Gondor's Captain will return." Boromir looked up to meet her gaze and his eyes shone with thanks. He bowed his head and they looked east once more.

Theoden gave an order and the riders began to spread out to the sides. The army slowed to a walk and Alarain closed her eyes to ready herself. Fayna moved on without direction and when she opened her eyes, Alarain found herself in the second row to the front. Boromir was a few horses to the right in the front row and he glanced back to give her an encouraging look.

Suddenly, all around her, the signature sound of Rohirrim horns came to life. They sent chills down her spine and Alarain sat taller in the saddle, heart beating with anticipation. They were slowly making their way up a slight slope, and she guessed that Minas Tirith lay on the other side.

Raising her eyes to the sky, Alarain almost gasped when she saw that the army seemed to bring the light with it. The dark and sinister clouds of Mordor were retreating and the sun shone through brilliantly.

Some horses began to snort, whinny, and toss their heads with excitement and she lowered her gaze back down. This time, she did gasp at what she saw. There sat the proud city of Minas Tirith. Even with most of the lower levels destroyed and burning, it still stood tall against the forces of Sauron. The fields in front were riddled with orcs, screaming, yelling, and laughing at the destruction they had caused. There was hardly a blade of grass that had not been trampled by their ugly feet.

Casting her gaze over the scene, Alarain noticed that the enemy had spotted them. She swallowed, but then she thought of all the people who had died at the hands of Sauron and her heart hardened. No matter what hit her or how many swords would plunge through her, she would not stop!

Her thoughts turned to her friends and she hoped that Eowyn and Merry were alright. She glanced around at the faces of the soldiers near her, but could not spot them.

Theoden suddenly went cantering by, yelling orders. "Eomer, take your eored down the left flank. Gamling, follow the King's banner down the centre. Grimbold! Take your company right after you pass the wall. Forth and fear no darkness!" He turned to his own eored in which she and Boromir were riding with and addressed them loudly. "Arise! Arise riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken! Shields shall be splintered! A sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises!"

Those who had spears in the front row lowered them and Theoden went speeding past again, holding his sword high and running it across the spears as he went. "Ride now! Ride now! Ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending! Death!"

"Death!" the army shouted back.

Theoden yelled it again and this time Alarain joined in as well. "Death!" They repeated this and Alarain tingled with pride. Thousands of voices hit her ears and sounded as one.

"Forth Eorlingas!" the king bellowed.

A horn blew again and many more echoed it's call. Theoden started forward and all riders followed, their horses moving in unison. Fayna pranced and Alarain could tell she was itching to gallop ahead.

They moved into a canter as everyone let loose cries of anger. Soon, the horses could no longer be held back and they galloped on, heading at full force towards the enemy. Alarain heard screams of pain as the ugly arrows of orcs rained down and pierced not only riders, but their steeds as well.

It was an odd time for such a thought to cross her mind, but Alarain suddenly hoped that her old family was safe. The horse breeder and his wife. Even though they had forced her away, she did not wish for them to be punished.

She wondered how her life would have been had she not been caught by Saruman. She would not have met all the friends she had now. She would not have fallen in love with Aragorn. She would never have met Elrond, Arwen, or the rest of the fellowship. She would never have joined them and Boromir would most likely be dead. She would not be keeping a secret for Eowyn, or Merry for that matter. And she would not be have been there, riding to war with Rohan. But Alarain did not regret any of it.

_It's funny how Saruman was actually the one who gave me all this,_ she thought with a smile. _Perhaps this White Hand is good after all. It saved Boromir. Maybe it can save Middle-earth too..._


	28. Chapter 28

**Just so everyone knows, Aragorn and Arwen never had any feelings for each other in this story. I love her and all, I just don't want a love triangle. I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST ARWEN SO DON'T HATE ME PLEASE! Just remember that Arwen is happily sailing across the sea with no problem because she never really had a huge reason to stay. (Aragorn)**

**And rosewriter17, that's awesome that you've been reading 'Even This Darkness Must Pass'! I have as well and I must say that it's very good! For those of you who haven't heard of it, you should check it out. It's a very well written and exciting Eomer/OC story! I've gotta admit that I've never been a really crazy Eomer fan, but that story is wonderful!****  
**

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The sounds of death were everywhere. Only moments after the first row collided with the orcs, Alarain had already gotten a deep slash across her leg. She was roughly jarred around in the saddle as Fayna galloped through the lines of orcs. Her new sword glistened with dark blood as she swung at her enemies, but she could already feel herself becoming tired from her own loss of blood.

As she plunged her sword into another ugly face, she heard Eomer not far off. "Drive them to the river!" That's when she noticed that many of the orcs were retreating.

"Make safe the city!" Theoden King shouted nearby.

Fayna suddenly gave a frantic neigh and reared up. Alarain managed to stay on her back and when the horse's hooves came back down, she felt a great rumbling in the ground. Raising her head up, her breath caught in her throat as the sounds of chanting came to her ears. The soldiers around her were also staring in terror as they took in the massive beasts headed their way.

_Mumakil,_ Alarain thought, fear rising upside her. _From the jungles of Far Harad.__  
_

The beasts carried great structures on their backs and their tusks had ferocious looking spikes attached to them. Their skin was like hard gray leather and was painted red in a few places. The Haradrim that rode in the towers began to blow strange horns that sent her heart racing. Orcs that had been fighting ran like cowards and let the mumakil take over, but no one let out victorious cries at the retreating enemy.

"Reform the line!" Theoden suddenly ordered, snapping out of his trance. "Reform the line!" Snowmane, his powerful white steed, danced around in fear as he spoke.

The Rohirrim complied, though Alarain could tell they were scared to death of the fates many of them would meet. She did not blame them. Searching the faces around her, she could not spy her friends. Only Theoden and Eomer were in her line of sight.

The line of mumakil let out a loud bellow that echoed through her ears and she barely heard the king as he spoke. "Sound the charge!" The Rohirrim let their own horns ring out over the field as Theoden made another order. "Take them head on! CHARGE!"

The horses shot forward and Alarain was swept along with them. Fayna nearly tripped but regained her balance quickly and galloped ahead, eyes rolling back with fear. As they neared, Alarain noticed the large creature begin to sway it's head. She quickly steered Fayna the the left and ducked as it swung it's giant tusks and swept at least ten soldier and their horses up into the air. She passed somewhat safely by it's front legs and stretched out her sword to slash at a rear foot. Her blade hardly even made a scratch in the tough skin.

Circling about, she raced after it. The mumak was much faster than Fayna however and Alarain turned her attention to another one close by. An arrow flew by her side and she glanced up to see a Haradrim readying his bow. He aimed and just as he let his string go, Alarain yanked Fayna to the right. She then urged her faster and the horse galloped between the mumak's back legs. It's feet pounded the ground flat on both sides of her and it was all Alarain could do to not turn tail and run.

She suddenly let out a scream as a horse and rider were squashed under the beast's great foot. A burning sensation flamed on her arm and Alarain let out an enraged battle cry as she stabbed her sword into the monster's leg. A strange feeling rushed down into her blade from her forearm before the mumak's leg suddenly went limp.

Fayna dashed to the left, but Alarain wasn't ready. She fell from her saddle and hit the ground hard as the terrified horse bolted from sight. Raising her eyes, she watched in horror as the creature above her began to topple. Scrambling to her feet, Alarain ran as fast as she could with the bloody wound in her leg. An orc watched in amusement before it noticed that it was about to be crushed and took off after her.

Alarain was suddenly flung into the air as the mumak fell to it's death behind her and sent her tumbling onto an orc. She rolled off it dazed and screamed when it plunged it's bloody sword into her left shoulder. Kicking it's legs out from under it, she picked up her own blade and drove it through the orc's torso.

A thundering sound shook the earth beneath her feet and the quickly weakening woman spun around to see a mumak collied with another before they both fell down dead.

"Aim for the heads!" a voice shouted to her right.

Eomer was still on his horse and Alarain watched as he let an arrow soar through the air. The Rohirrim closest to him followed his example and Alarain gulped when she saw the beast rear up and begin to fall backwards. What made her so scared was the fact that she caught a glimpse of a familiar soldier with a familiar hobbit right behind it before they were cut from her view.

All of a sudden, Alarain was shook from her thoughts when an orc came at her. Using one hand, she blocked it's attack and brought her leg up to kick it in the stomach. The ugly thing stumbled back as she jumped forward and decapitated it.

Ignoring the orcs that began to advance on her, Alarain ran off in the direction of the fallen mumak. She had to see if Eowyn and Merry were alright.

"Rally to me! To me!" Theoden King yelled.

Alarain turned just as she heard the heart wrenching screech that she never wished to hear again. Time seemed to slow as she watched a dragon like creature flying straight towards the king. On it's back was the Witch-king himself. The leader of the nine Nazgul.

The monster it rode took Theoden's horse up in it's jaw and flung them both to the ground. All horses nearby fled, and even if a soldier was brave enough to try and help, his steed would not dare to go near the thing.

Snowmane landed heavily on top of the king and Alarain stared in horror as the beast stepped towards him, black skin shining and wings still sticking out.

"Feast on his flesh." the Witch-king said, voice unnatural and cold.

Alarain started forwards, no longer caring if this thing killed her. She would not let it near her king. _Even if I'm one of the Dunedain, Theoden will always be my king!__  
_

As she staggered towards the scene, another soldier stepped in between the monster and the king. "I will kill you if you touch him." the familiar voice of Eowyn came.

"Do not come between the Nazgul and his prey." the Ringwraith threatened. His voice was like ice in lava. It was not right, and it sent Alarain's body trembling.

The Nazgul's steed suddenly lunged forward and snapped it's teeth right by Eowyn. She dodged to the side and Alarain broke into a run. Eowyn plunged her sword into it's neck again and again before Alarain got close. The beast's head fell right off and it's body wobbled dangerously before crashing to the ground. The spike on the tip of it's wing struck her in the face and Alarain was knocked off her feet.

Wiping the blood from her eyes, she raised her gaze to see the Witch-king brandishing an unnaturally large and heavy mace. He swung at Eowyn and she barely dodged it in time. Crawling painfully, Alarain made her way over. Eowyn snatched up a shield from the ground and continued ducking from the mace.

"Don't fail me now." Alarain whispered to the white mark on her arm. Reaching out, Alarain locked her gaze on the shield and hoped for her plan to work.

The mace of the Witch-king flew through the air and as it came into contact with the shield, it bounced right off. The Nazgul looked almost confused for a moment before he spotted her. She was only a step away and felt the pain of his foot connecting with her stomach as he kicked her away.

Dazed for a moment, Alarain shook her head and looked back up in time to see his mace smash Eowyn's shield to pieces. She fell back onto Snowmane's body and clutched her arm, face showing the pain she was in. Alarain watched with wide eyes as the Witch-king wrapped his hand around her friend's neck and lifted her up into a standing position.

"You fool." came the throat contracting voice of the Ringwraith leader. "No man can kill me. Die now." he ordered, tightening his grip.

Alarain spotted movement behind the evil thing and her heart soared for a moment before falling again when she saw what he was up to. Merry reached up and stabbed a knife into the back of the Witch-king's leg. He dropped Eowyn and let out a screech, falling to his knees. Merry too, cried out in pain and held his hand carefully, slumping back onto the ground.

Eowyn then turned to the Witch-king, sword in hand and pulled her helmet from her head. "I am no man." she spat.

With no further delay, she yelled in anger as she drove her blade into the Nazgul's face. A light flashed from his helmet and her sword was pushed from her hands as it fly away. Eowyn crouched down again and they watched as the Witch-king began to die. His helmet was sucked in on itself and he writhed in pain. A strange wind came as he crumpled and his body disappeared, leaving only a pile of black cloaks. The wind vanished as quickly as it came.

Alarain blinked as she looked up. She was either hallucinating or there was a great green sea of souls sweeping over the field and into the city. Either way, she began to feel sleepy. Closing her eyes, peace swept over her.

"That still only counts as one!"

_Wait. I know that voice. _Raising her tired eyelids, Alarain cast her gaze around before spotting what she was looking for. _Gimli!_ There was also a tall blond figure near him. _Legolas!_ She tried to call out, but her voice was too quiet. Crawling through the bodies in a trance, Alarain looked about to find that she had lost them. Her head fell from exhaustion and her eyes closed. _Maybe I'll just..._

The world slowly began to return to her as Alarain lay amongst the bodies. All was quiet now though. Her head pounded and her whole body ached. Opening her eyes, she saw that the dust had settled and all signs of the enemy were gone. A few figures here and there were searching the dead, looking for survivors. _I'm a survivor,_ Alarain thought. _I'm over here.__  
_

"Help." she whispered. No one heard her.

A sound came to her ears. She knew that sound. Closing her eyes again, she listened. It came again, closer this time. All of a sudden, there was something wet on her face. She began to drift again, but tried to open her eyes when she heard a whine, followed by a bark.

"Brenir? What have you found?" came a voice. It was a nice voice that was deep and comforting. She heard a gasp and someone crouched by her side. "Alarain?"

Forcing her eyes open once more, Alarain felt herself begin to smile. That was something it seemed like she hadn't done in a while. Staring up, she just gazed into his gray-green eyes for a moment before falling unconscious again, but not before whispering his name. "Aragorn..."


	29. Chapter 29

**I'm so very sorry that I've not updated in forever and a half! It's getting close to the end and I have had to think about how to wrap everything up. It took me quite a while to get this chapter to how it is now, and I'd love to hear what you think of it. (hint hint)**

* * *

There were voices nearby, but Alarain couldn't make out what they were saying in her half conscious state. They seemed to be talking about something of importance, for their voices were rushed and worried. After they ceased, she felt a hand slip into hers and heard a whisper. She didn't dare move for fear of feeling the pain of her wounds, so instead she just enjoyed the warm hand comforting her own and tried to fall asleep again.

What felt like only moments later, she woke again at the sound of a voice. "Aragorn, will you not rest? You've not had a moment of sleep for some time."

"No. I would not be able to." he whispered.

Footsteps sounded and another voice came. "Gandalf wishes for you to join him." the man said to Aragorn. "You as well Legolas."

_Aragorn and Legolas are here. Who is the third voice? Boromir! That's who it is!_ Alarain felt a rush of relief knowing that Boromir did not die in the battle.

"Come Aragorn. I will watch over her for a while." Boromir said gently.

Alarain heard movement and then the warmth on her hand left as Aragorn rose. She heard him walk slowly out of the room and assumed that Legolas had followed, though the sound of his footfalls were much too quiet for her to hear. Boromir sat down in the chair beside her bed and sighed.

"I do hope you wake soon." he said quietly. Alarain groaned slightly at his words, trying to tell him that she was awake. He slid off the chair and crouched on the floor by her side.

"Can you hear me?" the man asked. Groaning again, she heard him snicker. "Well then you're most likely wanting me to just get on with it and tell you how our friends are."

Alarain nodded her head as best she could, but still kept her eyes closed as they were very tired.

"As I'm guessing you know, Aragorn and Legolas are fine, as am I. Gimli suffered no major wounds either. Gandalf, to no one's surprise, is in perfect health." Boromir said with a laugh. "Pippin is here and had no injuries, but Merry..." his voice faded. "Merry was hurt but he will be fine. Eowyn has the same condition as him. It is known as the Black Breath. Aragorn treated them both, and he said that they will recover." Boromir went silent for a moment, and Alarain could feel the worry radiating off him.

Forcing her eyes open, she whispered with a strained voice. "What's wrong?"

Boromir gaze snapped to her face and he frowned. "My father is dead."

Alarain's eyes widened. "How?" she asked quietly.

"He somehow knew of my new found loyalty for Aragorn. He thought that I had betrayed him and... he went mad." Reaching over, she rested her hand on his arm in a effort to comfort him. The movement made her shoulder ache, but she tried her best to ignore it.

"Osgiliath had been overrun by Sauron's orcs and my brother was ordered to retake it." he continued. "There was no way he and his men could have ever succeeded. They were outnumbered by too many and all were killed except for Faramir. My father thought he was dead, so he ordered his body burned."

Alarain gasped, but shut her mouth again to listen. "If not for a certain courageous hobbit named Pippin, I would have no brother." Boromir smiled slightly at his own words before he kept talking. "Pippin knew that Faramir was still alive and he risked his own life to find Gandalf in the middle of the fight. He and Gandalf galloped back to Faramir just in time. My father was about to burn not only his own son, but himself as well."

Now so focused on Boromir's story, Alarain didn't even notice when a woman came in to clean her wounds. Boromir kept talking, not only because he wasn't finished, but also to keep her mind off the pain of her injuries. "They could not stop my father when he set the oil soaked wood on fire, but Pippin rolled Faramir off and saved him." His face looked pained as he spoke. "I had just made my way to the seventh level when my father shot past me, completely engulfed in flames." Boromir paused. "He ran right off the tip of the city."

The healer had left and they both fell silent. "I'm so sorry Boromir." Alarain whispered, heart clenched in sadness for him.

"Thank you." he replied.

They were both silent for a while until a sharp bark sounded outside the door. Boromir rolled his eyes and Alarain's joy grew as the man rose and let a bouncing mutt into the room.

"Brenir." she smiled. The dog ran to the bedside and began to cover her face in big, wet licks as his half-tail spiraled out of control. Her smile suddenly disappeared when she saw the bright white bandage on one of his front legs.

"Don't worry yourself Alarain." Boromir soothed. "It is only a scratch he got from his adventure into the Paths of the Dead."

Alarain calmed but still sent her hound a dirty look for running off in the first place. "I was so worried about you Brenir. You are the stupidest dog I've ever known." she said, wincing as he nudged her arm.

"That's quite enough Brenir." Boromir said as he made the exuberant dog lie down. Then he turned back to Alarain. "Unless Aragorn was lying, Brenir is actually quite smart." Alarain raised an eyebrow in disbelief which made Boromir laugh. "The tunnels had begun to collapse and that is when Brenir found our friends and lead them out to safety."

"Really?" Alarain asked in wonder, looking over at the scruffy brown dog.

"Personally, I think that Aragorn may have been exaggerating for Brenir's sake." Boromir joked. Giggling, Alarain winced again. Her shoulder was all bandaged, but after the stab she had gotten, it still hurt. "You should rest. I'll let Aragorn know that you woke and are doing well."

"That is a matter of opinion." she said, letting out a pained sigh.

Boromir smiled and narrowed his eyes. "Sleep." he ordered gently before turning to exit the room.

"Wait." she said, stopping him. He looked back with expectant eyes and Alarain took a deep breath. "Theoden?"

His face fell. "I'm sorry Alarain. He fell in battle." At that, Boromir left her to her thoughts.

Alarain lay in silence, heart hurting from grief. _Theoden King is dead,_ she thought as a tear escaped her eye. _Eomer will be the king now._ Alarain laughed slightly, remembering the punch he had received from her. _Thank goodness he wasn't the king then.__  
_

She looked over to see that Brenir had fallen asleep and remembered Boromir's order. Closing her weary eyes, she carefully turned on her side and after a moment, slipped into a dream.

It was not a peaceful dream as it was mostly filled with images of dead soldiers from the battlefield. The faces soon faded though, and her world was filled with darkness. She was startled when a white hand print flashed in the black. Her heart pounded and she tried to run, but there was no escape. The hand print flashed over and over again, growing closer and faster.

Alarain suddenly shot up in her bed and let out a gasp as she wrenched her shoulder. Immediately, strong arms were helping her back down and she glanced up to see Aragorn giving her a worried look.

She let out a whimper as her wound stung and Aragorn whispered some elvish words. It calmed her heart and she let him check her shoulder.

"It's alright." he said quietly.

Alarain moaned. "It doesn't feel alright." she grumbled.

"I know, but it will soon." the man soothed, smiling slightly at her attitude.

Aragorn was kneeling on the floor beside her and as she looked over to him, she spoke. "How long have you been here?"

"All night. Why?"

She ignored his question and looked to the window. It was dark, but slowly growing lighter as morning came. "It had been light out when Boromir was here. How long did I sleep?"

"It was late morning when you awoke." he answered. "You've been asleep all day and night."

Blinking, Alarain shook her head to clear it. "My dream didn't seem very long."

Aragorn looked at her curiously. "What was it about?" he asked.

She stayed silent for a moment and Aragorn waited patiently. Taking a deep breath, she relayed what she had seen and he looked thoughtful. "Now that we are reunited with Gandalf, he may have some answers for you." he said. "I'll send for him once the sun has come up."

Nodding, Alarain stayed quiet as Aragorn watched her. She moved her gaze to his and tilted her head. He smiled slowly and Alarain rolled her eyes. "What?" she asked.

He laughed quietly. "I missed you." he whispered, a grin still present on his face.

Alarain glanced away as her heart skipped. His hand came over and brushed her cheek. Pulling her face to his again, he leaned forward. Suddenly, a thought struck her. _Aragorn is here, which means he's probably going to take his place as the King of Gondor. How do I fit into that?_ All of a sudden, she panicked and pushed him away, pulling herself out of his hands.

Aragorn stared at her, mouth open as if to speak and eyes full of hurt and confusion. Alarain stared right back, worry and guilt in her eyes. A look of understanding came over his face and he broke eye contact. Closing his mouth, he looked down at the floor.

"I'll go fetch Gandalf." he said quietly, getting to his feet and walking in a trance to the door.

She almost stopped him until realizing that she didn't know what to say. Aragorn left quietly and she closed her eyes. _What have I done?__  
_

Only moments later, the wizard entered. "Alarain." he smiled. "It is so very nice to see your face after so many bothersome lords."

Alarain barely smiled at his words and he caught it right away. Figuring he'd stay out of the business between her and Aragorn, he pretended not to have noticed and sat down with a sigh.

"Now." he began. "I understand you want answers." She turned her gaze to him and nodded. He returned the nod and stroked his beard in thought, watching her carefully with narrowed eyes. "Let me see your arm."

She brought her sleeve up over the mark and he reached over. Running his fingers across the white skin, he began muttering to himself. "Well..." he mumbled before speaking normally again. "It seems to my old eyes, that when Saruman put this here, he poured a little of himself in with it."

Alarain scrunched up her nose in confusion and slight disgust.

"Not really himself, but some of his power." Gandalf explained, raising his eyebrows at her expression. "You see, that is how he contacted you in your head. He cannot do that with just anyone. He needed some of his magic on your end to help." Nodding in slight understanding, Alarain asked him to continue. "What he wasn't expecting, was that you would be able to take control of the magic he had put in you. And when he died, I believe that more of his power found it's way to your body."

"Then why does it bubble sometimes?" she asked, interrupting the wizard. much to his annoyance.

"I was getting to that you impatient girl." he grumbled, a hint of a smile on his face. She shut her mouth and he continued. "You don't have experience with this kind of power, so you have to keep it under control. It will test you once in a while, which is why it appears to be bubbling like boiling water. Also, if you are very angry at any time and don't have it completely under your control, it may test you then as well."

"That's what happened when I punched Eomer!" she exclaimed, smiling at the fact that she finally knew the cause of her bubbling arm.

Gandalf stared at her. "You what?"

Alarain slapped her hand over her mouth and sent him a sheepish smile. "I... uh..."

"Never mind." he said, shaking his head. "Now, it seems that you can keep it under control, which is good. It also seems that you can control it enough to actually use it. You must be very careful though." he warned. "If it were to take over, there could be disastrous consequences." Sitting back, he sighed. "Now that you have your answers, I must go. These people need someone telling them what to do or they end up like ants who don't know where their nest is." the wizard grumbled, getting up and sending her a wink.

"Good luck then Gandalf." she smiled.

"And the same to you." Gandalf said as he went to the door. "Don't get into any trouble." he ordered, exiting the room.

_What does he think I am? A hobbit?_ Alarain giggled at the joke and snuggled back into the blankets. Her limbs felt heavy all of a sudden and her eyelids blinked closed. She felt Brenir wiggle the bed when he jumped up as she began falling into a deep sleep once more. "I'll think over my problems tomorrow." she mumbled to herself.


	30. Chapter 30

**The action picks up in this chapter a bit! Tell me what you think? Please? Is Alarain turning into a Mary Sue? What say you? I swear I didn't mean for that to rhyme...**

* * *

The following morning, Alarain woke before the light of dawn touched the city and looked around to see Brenir had gone. Pushing herself into a sitting position, she glanced down to examine her shoulder. It was still neatly bandaged, but had a slight blood stain soaking through. Carefully, so as not to hurt herself further, she flung the blankets off and looked at the injury on her leg. It too was bandaged, though no blood seeped through.

Alarain was startled when the door opened and a woman came in. She carried fresh bandages, a bowl of water, a rag, and some sort of paste. The woman was obviously a healer.

"You are not thinking of getting up, are you milady?" she asked, looking slightly appalled that the thought would possibly even be crossing her mind.

Alarain tried to hide her smile. _Thank you for the idea,_ she thought slyly. "Oh no. I would not be able to." she lied.

The healer nodded, happy with the answer. She then proceeded in treating her wounds. Alarain quietly stared out the window as she worked. Thoughts of Aragorn ran through her head and her brain began to hurt. His face when she had pushed him away flashed in her mind and her heart constricted. _I cannot face him again after that look.__  
_

"Be sure not to move your shoulder." the healer said, interrupting her thoughts. "You've not eaten in a while, so I'll be sure to have some food sent shortly."

Her stomach growled at the woman's words and Alarain sent her a sheepish smile. "Thank you." she said sincerely.

Bowing her head in reply, the healer left the room. Only moment later, another woman entered with a tray of food. Alarain eyed it greedily and as soon as the woman had exited, she dug in.

As she ate, Alarain gazed out the window and watched the sun rising. It was a peaceful sight, but did not lift her spirits much.

Finishing up, she heard a knock at the door. Alarain called for the person to enter and smiled when Merry's face greeted her. The expression on his face however, caused her smile to fall.

"Merry? What is the matter?" she asked, glancing worriedly at his bandaged arm.

He saw her gaze and spoke. "It's not my arm that's bothering me." he assured. His voice then grew slightly panicked. "It's the others. They've left!" he exclaimed.

Sitting up further, she stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"They've gone! To fight Sauron!" Alarain froze at his words. "Even Pippin! They've left us behind and I don't know if we'll ever see them again!"

He grew more and more flustered as he spoke and she shushed him. "Start from the beginning, Merry. Where have they gone?"

The hobbit took a deep breath. "A meeting was held, and it was decided that they would try and draw out Sauron's forces. They said that they would have to empty Mordor for Frodo and Sam to make it." He shook his head in despair. "That's all they told me. Aragorn would not let me come because of my arm, and he said not to tell you that they'd left."

"Why not?" Alarain asked.

"He said you'd try to follow."

Her face hardened. "He was right." she growled.

Merry looked startled. "But how will you manage? You're hurt as well!"

Leaning closer to him, she lowered her voice. "I may have a way that we can both go."

His eyes widened and he nodded. "Do whatever you have to, Alarain. I'll do anything to follow Pippin and our friends."

"Merry." she said. "First, I need you to sneak out of here. Fayna has to be ready for us. I know she's big, but she is gentle." Alarain assured him, seeing the nervous look on his face.

The door suddenly flung open and they jumped. "You will do no such thing, Merry!" Eowyn exclaimed. Alarain and the hobbit exchanged a terrified glance before turning to stare at her. "You will do no such thing because I'll do it." the woman smiled, narrowing her eyes mischievously.

They let out a relieved breath and Eowyn came in, closing the door carefully behind her. "You didn't give me away when I rode to battle, so I won't give you away." she said to Alarain.

"Thank you so much." Alarain smiled, relief still present.

Eowyn waved it away and spoke again. "How are you planning on being able to fight though?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at the two.

Alarain was silent as she lifted up her sleeve. They all exchanged a glance and Merry looked worried. "How do you know if it's going to work?"

"I don't." Alarain answered simply. "But it worked on Boromir."

The hobbit sighed. "Well... alright."

"Merry, go put on your armour and get your sword. I'll do the same and meet you in the gardens." she ordered. He was about to trot away when she stopped him. "I've heard that hobbits have some skill when it comes to not being seen. Use that skill now." He nodded with determination in his eyes and stood taller, glad that she had so much trust in him. With that, he left silently, footsteps not even noticeable.

"Are you sure about what you're doing?" Eowyn asked.

Alarain nodded. "I'm not going to let my friends leave me behind."

She smiled, a knowing look in her gaze. "I hope you come back." she said as she went the door.

"Eowyn?" she asked, stopping her. The woman turned back and Alarain spoke. "Will you take care of Brenir?"

"Of course. As long as you are gone, I'll treat him like a king. Fayna will be waiting for you in the stables." Giving Alarain a bow of the head, she wished her luck and slipped out.

Throwing her legs over the side of the bed, Alarain cringed in pain. She put weight on her feet tentatively and bit her lip when a shot of agony flew through her injured leg. Frowning, she got to her feet and ignored the pain. She crossed the room to a wardrobe and opened it, smiling when she saw her old clothes. They were clean and mended of all rips. Her light leather armour was there as well. Getting it all out, she struggled slightly when putting it on, but was soon ready.

Reaching for her sword, she felt her heart clench. _Aragorn's old sword._ She shook all thoughts of him from her head and strapped it around her waist.

At the door, she paused. _Perhaps I should try it on myself before endangering Merry._ Turning around again, Alarain made her way to the bed and sat down.

_I need your help now,_ she thought to the magic in her body. Rolling up her sleeve, she looked at the White Hand and concentrated. She moved her hand to her opposite shoulder and closed her eyes. A tingling in her arm soon became apparent and she looked down at the injured shoulder. Nothing. She tried again, resting her hand gently on the wound. This time, she concentrated harder. Glancing down as she worked, Alarain began to feel discouraged when nothing occurred.

"Why aren't you working?" she growled to herself. _If this doesn't work, then I'll be letting everyone down. I may never see my friends again! What if someone is killed? What if I could have saved them?_ Aragorn came to her mind and pain suddenly shot through her arm and into her shoulder. She bit her lip to keep from screaming as the feeling flowed through her whole body. _Is this how Boromir felt when I saved him?__  
_

Her hand fell into her lap and she gasped when the pain stopped. Alarain was breathing hard and she glanced down to her wounds. Unwrapping the bandages, her eyes widened. The wounds were closed and all that could be seen were scars.

Determination surged through her. Rising from the bed, she smiled when realizing that she no longer felt tired. She had energy, and lots of it. Padding quietly to the door, she pressed her ear to the wood. All was silent so she turned the handle and peeked out. There were voices down the hall, but they were neither growing louder, nor quieter.

_Think like a hobbit, _she thought to herself. _Or a ranger... No, better! An elf! You are an elf and no one can hear you. What am I doing?_ Shaking her head of all strange thoughts, she tiptoed through the halls, avoiding all sounds of people. Once, she had to press herself behind a potted plant when a healer passed. Eventually though, she made it safely to the gardens.

Slipping behind a tree, she peered out. There was no sign of Merry. Alarain nearly leaped out of her skin when the hobbit appeared beside her.

"What took you so long?" he asked, glancing around for any sign of danger.

Alarain said nothing, but showed him her healed shoulder. His face lifted and she put a hand on his good arm. "It hurt though." she whispered.

Merry shook his head. "I still want you to do it." he replied, also keeping his voice low. "I want to be there for our friends."

She nodded in understanding and sat him down in the dirt. "Put your hands over your mouth." The hobbit gave her a questioning look. "Just in case you scream." His eyes widened, but he did as he was told.

Alarain rested both hands on his bandaged arm and shut her eyes tightly. Just like last time, she thought of her companions and how much she wished for their safety. Her arm tingled and a sensation like a flowing river passed from her hands into Merry. He flinched, but made no sound.

She fell back with a gasp and Merry stared at her with worry. In her concentration, she'd forgotten to breath. "Are you alright, Alarain?" Nodding, she asked the same of him. "Well, either you lied or your getting better because that didn't hurt as much as I thought it might." he grinned and held up his now healed arm.

Alarain smiled back and cast her gaze around. "Come on. We must hurry."

Together, they cautiously made their way through the garden and back to the Houses of Healing. Inside, Alarain stuck her arm out and stopped Merry at a corner. There were voices very close. Inching her face ever so slowly, she peeked around the corner and saw Eowyn speaking with the head healer. He had his back to them, so she stepped out further and caught Eowyn's eye. Seeing the movement of her friend, Eowyn lured the man away and as she did, Alarain and Merry crept past to the door and slipped out.

They were free. Running as fast as they could, or more like running as fast as Merry could, they flew to the stables. Stepping inside, Alarain quickly found Fayna all tacked up in a stall and brought her out. She even had a saddlebag full of food and supplies. Picking up her hobbit companion, she practically threw him into the saddle before swinging up behind him.

Fayna snorted at the extra weight, but did not hesitate when Alarain urged her into the street. Their going was slow as they made their way through the city. There were people everywhere and Alarain was not about to go running them over.

"Thank you for taking me, Alarain." Merry said in front of her. "If it had been anyone else, I'm sure they wouldn't have."

She smiled at him. "I wouldn't leave you behind. I too, know what it feels like."

After what felt like ages, they were finally at the first level. Merry suddenly grabbed the reins and pulled Fayna to a stop. He pointed and Alarain followed his finger to the guards at the gate. He looked back up at her. "Do you think they'd let us pass?"

She frowned. "Most likely not. Not without good reason anyway." Casting her eyes around, she mumbled to herself. "We need a distraction."

Merry laughed. "Finally something I have experience with!" he grinned, rubbing his hands together in excitement. "Hand me my canteen from the saddlebag, will you?"

Turning, she reached back and dug her hand into the bag, coming out with the hobbit sized canteen. He took it from her and looked up. "When the guards run away, gallop out and don't forget to pick me up." She watched in confusion as he slipped out of the city, completely unnoticed by the men on watch.

Shortly after though, there was a yell from out on the fields and the guards glanced at each other. They walked away a bit and saw something. Running out to help, they didn't see the woman on horseback trotting after them.

What she saw made her stare. Merry was seemingly screaming in pain and clutching his leg. It was covered in blood... or was it blood?

The men ran over to him and called out. "What has happened to you, child?"

Alarain smirked. _They think he is only a kid!_ The helmet he had acquired at Dunharrow hid his face enough for them not to understand that he wasn't.

As the guards reached him, he motioned for her to come. Shaking herself mentally, she kicked Fayna into action. The horse sped towards them and the men turned just in time to leap out of the way. Alarain reached her hand down and felt Merry catch it. She pulled up her arm and he slipped into the saddle behind her, canteen still in his hands.

They galloped away and Alarain turned her head to see the guards waving frantically for them to stop. Needless to say, they didn't. Her and Merry began to laugh and she turned to him. "Are you hurt?"

He snickered. "No. It was only wine."

"Wine?" she exclaimed, staring at him. "You brought wine instead of water?"

"What?" he grinned. "It's good!" They laughed again as he put his canteen back in the saddlebag.

A few moments later and Alarain slowed the horse, a frown present on her face. Merry questioned what was wrong and she spoke. "They are probably passing over the river through Osgiliath as we speak, but we might not be able to."

"What? Why?" Merry asked, growing nervous.

"There may be soldiers stationed there and they probably wouldn't let us pass."

He seemed to think for a moment. "Are there any other places we can cross?"

"If I remember the maps I've seen of the Anduin, there is another crossing point further up the river." she informed him. "There is a small island in the middle of the Great River called Cair Andros. It has bridges on each side." Alarain was quiet again.

"Do you think we can cross there?" Merry pressed.

"I'm not sure. Last I knew, Gondor held it. We might be able to slip by there more easily then through Osgiliath." She turned in the saddle to look at him. "Do you want to try it?"

Merry nodded. "If it's a better chance then Osgiliath, then yes."

"Alright." Alarain replied. "It will take a two or three days to get there. The river has a bend in it, so if we cut across the land to the north, we will be faster then the army." Turning Fayna northwards, she pushed her into a canter and they set off.


	31. Chapter 31

Merry was snoring. They had set up camp on the outskirts of a small wooded area, and already the hobbit had devoured much of their food before falling into a deep sleep. Alarain smiled as she watched him twitch in his dreams. She wished she could join him, but she was not tired. Well, that was a lie. Alarain was exhausted, but she refused to sleep. Jumping at the slightest noise, she stayed awake to watch over her hobbit companion.

"Pippin." he mumbled.

_Poor Merry. He must miss his cousin terribly._ Turning from the hobbit, she tended to the fire and sat back against a tree. The air was cold, but the heat of the fire kept her from shivering.

She began to wish for Aragorn's arms around her, but soon pushed those thoughts away. He was going to be the King of Gondor. Even if he did want her to be his queen, she had no idea how. "What am I thinking?" she whispered into the night. "I'm just a homeless peasant from Rohan."

_No. You're one of the Dunedain from his past. That's got to count for something,_ a little voice in her head whispered back.

"I'm still a homeless peasant. What do I know about kings and queens? The people of Gondor would never want me as their queen." Alarain grumbled.

_What are you going to do then? _The voice in her mind asked. _If you go back, you'll have to face him eventually.__  
_

That's the moment she decided. She wasn't going back. No one really needed her there. Brenir would be taken care of. Eowyn had assured her of that. None of the fellowship really relied on her for anything. Aragorn surely didn't need her. He was going to be the King. He wouldn't need her for that.

Next thing she knew, Merry was shaking her awake. "Alarain. We've slept in." Jumping to her feet, she realized she had fallen asleep and went to saddle Fayna. "Alarain? Won't you eat anything?" a small voice asked behind her. She turned to see Merry watched her looking quite worried.

She didn't have an appetite at the moment. "Don't you fret, Merry. Big folk don't get hungry as often as hobbits."

He seemed content with her answer, so she helped him onto the horse. Not long after, they were riding north at a steady pace once more. Hours passed in silence as they rode through a forest, and Merry began to sing after a while. The song was about a road that went on and on... or something like that. She wasn't really paying attention.

"Can you sing?" he asked when his tune was finished.

Suddenly, she was back at Rivendell and was sitting in the forest with Aragorn. He had just overheard her humming and told her she had a lovely voice...

"Alarain?" Merry interrupted.

She shook her head, but offered no explanation. Alarain was glad when he dropped the subject and didn't ask further questions.

Merry suddenly gasped. "Look out!" he shouted.

Fayna let out a frantic scream as an orc leaped out from behind a tree and swung it's sword towards her. Five more orcs came out from hiding and Fayna bolted, throwing Alarain and Merry to the ground in the process.

Alarain jumped up and brought her sword out just in time to block an attack. Merry scrambled to his feet some ways off and she yelled for him to run. Ducking as a blade flew by her ear, she stabbed her enemy in his leg. He let out a sputtering yell and his face twisted in rage.

Turning to run, Alarain came face to face with another orc. It punched her in the stomach and she keeled over from the blow, clutching her middle in agony. Another impact smashed into her side and she was knocked to the ground. Her vision blurred and all she remembered was yelling for Merry to run before she was bashed in the head by a fist and blacked out.

Opening her eyes, Alarain was met with a blurry world. Something collided with her cheek and she whimpered.

"Look at this, Runk." came a stomach churning voice. "She's waking up."

Another slap to the face and Alarain could see properly. Not to say that she liked what she saw. She was sitting in an orc camp against a tree with her hands bound around the back of it. The five orcs that had attacked them were there, as well as three more.

The orc she supposed was called Runk came over to investigate. He gave her a long sniff and spoke in a growl. "She smells tasty. We'll have some fun with her before we eat her." he announced, much to the excitement of the other orcs.

Alarain's heart pounded with fear and she felt her hands begin to tremble. There was no one she could think of to save her now. Merry was somewhere safe, but what could he do?

"Who gets her first?" a little orc asked Runk, who appeared to be the leader.

"Who do you think?" Runk yelled. "Go keep watch on the path!" he snarled. The small orc mumbled something, but left without argument. "Glabrag! Go with him!" The orc that had hit her gave her a smirk before walking off in that strange orc-like manner.

_Alright. So, now there's Runk and his six followers. Not as many as eight. Maybe I can escape.__  
_

Another orc caught her thoughtful look and sent her a rot filled grin. "Not thinking of running off now, are we?" he taunted, coming closer. As he did, Alarain caught the stench wafting off of him. He was definitely the smelliest of the bunch.

She brought her legs up as he crouched down in front of her and he scowled. Suddenly, he leaped forwards and grabbed onto her knees. Before he could get any farther, she brought a leg up and kicked him right between his own.

"Akrashk!" Runk snarled. Finally noticing what was unfolding, he came barreling over and kicked 'Akrashk' over onto his side. Still having problems from the kick he'd received between his legs, he didn't fight back when Runk hit him several times more. "She's mine!" the leader shouted in rage.

A stone suddenly flew out of the woods and hit one of the other orcs in the forehead. He yelled in anger and turned to the orc beside him, thinking that was who hurt him. The camp then seemed to erupt as the orcs began blaming each other for their injuries. Alarain however, actually noticed the stones being thrown from the woods.

Small hands fumbled at the ropes around her wrists and she heard a whisper. "Come on, Alarain." She was relieved to hear Merry's voice, but at the same time, terrified for his safety.

When she was free, she slipped away quietly as the monters behind them continued to fight. Merry led her through the woods to Fayna. The horse was now standing calmly, having completely forgotten the orcs.

"My sword!" Alarain exclaimed quietly, stopping in her tracks._ Aragorn's sword._

Merry grinned. "Don't worry. I have it." he said, carrying it over to her. "You dropped it and they didn't bother to pick it up when they took you."

Smiling, she took hold of the handle and gave it a long look before returning it to the sheath at her side. "Thank you."

"I know how much it means to you. It used to belong to Aragorn, didn't it?" he asked.

Her smile fell at the mention of the man, but she nodded and helped him onto the horse. Her change of attitude didn't go unseen by Merry however.

"Alarain." he said as she mounted. "While you were captured, I found out that we're right beside the Great River."

Her spirit's grew at his words. "Which way?"

Following his finger, they soon found themselves on the riverbank. "Look!" he exclaimed, pointing upriver. "There's the island!"

Again, her spirits fell when she saw the figures of orcs on a bridge. "No..." she whispered. "I was wrong. Gondor doesn't hold it any more."

Merry looked back to her dismayed face and his own expression fell. "What do we do now?" he asked quietly.

She let out a sigh and turned Fayna from the water. "We must make camp. It's close to dusk."

They found a suitable spot far from their orcish friends and settled in. Alarain insisted they not start a fire for fear that the enemy would see the smoke. So instead, they huddled in the crook of a boulder and nibbled on some food as darkness fell. Merry didn't even eat much, his appetite gone at the knowledge of orcs having control of Cair Andros.

The hoot of an owl sounded nearby and Alarain jumped. Sighing, she calmed and looked over to check if she'd woken the hobbit beside her. He was fast asleep though, and she doubted he'd wake if the Horn of Gondor sounded right next to his ear.

Like the night before, her thoughts soon turned to a certain ranger. She also pondered what they would do. They could not cross here. The only bridges were guarded by orcs. Her eyelids fell occasionally and after a while, she could no longer keep them open.

She was woken at sunrise by Merry, who handed her some bread and cheese, insisting she eat. Following his orders, she washed it down with water after checking to be sure it wasn't wine she was drinking.

Merry sat down across from her and sighed. "What now?" he asked.

Looking at his downcast face, Alarain felt guilt overwhelm her. _This is all my fault._ "Will you give me a day to think?" she asked. The hobbit nodded and sent her a half hearted smile.

The day passed quickly with no ideas in sight. Alarain knew swimming was out of the question. The river was far to fast and wide for Merry to cross and she wouldn't just leave him. They could not slip past the orcs either. The bridges were too heavily guarded. All she could think of was to go back. If they crossed at Osgiliath, they wouldn't even get to the fight in time to help. They would have to return to Minas Tirith.

The sun was setting when she told Merry of her decision. He looked dismayed, but did not argue. He knew she was right. There was nothing else they could do.

"We'll leave in the morning." Alarain said, setting a blanket on the ground in the boulder's crook.

Merry said nothing, but went to join her. He stayed awake longer than usual, but still fell asleep before she did. Her dreams were horrid. For the entire night, she saw nothing but the mutilated faces of her friends, especially Aragorn. She woke before Merry, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Wiping them away, she got to her feet and wandered off. The river was close, so she stepped onto the bank and kept her ears open for trouble.

Sitting down in the sand, Alarain watched the sun rise. It was beautiful, but did not give her any ideas so she ignored it's loveliness. She looked way upriver and saw the orcs still patrolling the bridge. A horn sounded somewhere, but she did not give it any attention. It was just a horn... or was it? She sat up straighter. _That was not the guttural sound of an orc horn.__  
_

Alarain leaped to her feet and watched with growing interest as the orcs seemed to panic. "That was a Rohirrim horn." she said out loud. Darting off, she ran to wake Merry. He was just sitting up and looked around in alarm when she burst into their little camp.

"Merry, come quick." was all she said before running to the riverbank again. The hobbit stumbled out onto the sand after her and stared at the island. The fort in the middle of the river was slowly being overrun by soldiers as more horns sounded.

Alarain grabbed Merry and led him back to Fayna. Throwing their gear into the saddlebag, she tacked the horse quickly. "This could be our chance. We can slip past in the chaos."

"Brilliant!" Merry smiled, eyes wide with excitement.

They mounted the horse and shot off. "Be ready to take the reins if I need you to." Alarain said to the hobbit in front of her as she unsheathed her sword.

As they neared the bridge, the sounds of battle became apparent. Emerging from the forest, they saw many Rohirrim and Gondorian soldiers as well as the many orcs. To Alarain's eyes, it looked as if the men were winning.

She urged Fayna into the fray and wondered why the horse would bolt at the sight of five orcs, but was fine with thousands. They moved through easily as everyone was too busy fighting. Alarain slid her blade through an ugly face here and there, but was mostly ignored.

Fayna trampled an orc at one point and Alarain glanced back to see the dead face of Runk staring up into the sky. That brought a smile to her face.

They soon found themselves at the other bridge and crossed it easily. The forces of Rohan and Gondor had entered there, so there were no enemies about.

As Fayna's hooves touched dirt on the other side, Merry let out a yell of victory before clamping a hand over his mouth and looking back guiltily.

Alarain laughed at the excited hobbit. "Don't worry. Everyone is too busy fighting to hear that." she assured.

With Cair Andros behind them, the two were soon on their way, hidden from prying eyes in the cover of the trees. They were not there for that fight. They were headed for another battle.


	32. Chapter 32

**Hi all. I apologize for the lack of updates. I've been on holidays and haven't had much time to write. Hopefully this chapter will keep you happy for a while. Thank you for waiting so patiently! (Hopefully)**

* * *

"We cannot be more then a day behind them now." Alarain informed the hobbit as he played with Fayna's mane in front of her.

They were going at a walk now, letting the mare catch her breath. The forests of Ithilien were far behind them and they had entered the desolate landscape that rested between Gondor and the Black Gates of Mordor. The ground was made up mostly of dirt and rock and there was the occasional boulder here and there.

Merry let out an exaggerated sigh of boredom and spoke. "How long had it been since we left Minas Tirith?"

Alarain thought for a moment, counting the days in her head. "Five days. It was the 18th when we departed, so it must be the 23rd today." She glanced up into the sky to see the sun was just past it's highest point. "If the army camps tonight, we may be able to catch up if we ride in the dark."

"What will we do if we find them?" Merry's voice grew worried. "If we just stroll in, they are still not going to let us go any farther!"

She nodded and gave his arm a comforting pat. "You're right. We'll camp away from them and follow in the morning."

Merry was quiet for a long time after that. Only when the sun began to fall did he speak. "I hope Frodo and Sam are alright." he said in a small voice as he gazed over to the east. The tall black mountains that surrounded Mordor stood there silently, almost as if they were holding their breathe for the coming battle. "I cannot imagine what it's like in there."

"I don't think anyone could." Alarain replied as she too watched the mountains wearily.

"I have not seen a bird for ages." the hobbit complained. "What's so bad about birds that Sauron doesn't have them in Mordor?" Alarain rolled her eyes. She could tell that was not the end of his complaints. "And there are no plants either! There isn't even a blade of grass in sight! What does Sauron have against grass?"

"Maybe grass makes him sneeze."

Merry crossed his arms over his chest in a very childlike manner. "Well, what if rocks make me sneeze? I'm not going to go around destroying them all!"

Alarain sighed. "Rocks can't make someone sneeze, Merry."

"What if they could? Huh? If one rock made you sneeze, would you go around the whole world and destroy them all? Would you?"

Sighing again, she decided to just go along with him. "No."

"No. That's right. You couldn't! It's impossible! Sauron however, thinks that it is. Which is, of course, proof that he's insane."

"Of course, Merry. I couldn't agree more."

"Exactly! So you see my point?"

_No._ "Yes."

"Good. Because if Sauron did have grass, he wouldn't be how he is now and..."

Alarain's mind began to drift and she soon tuned the hobbit out entirely. He seemed to realize this and quit his ranting. She got Fayna into a canter once more and they rode on in silence. The only sound was that of Fayna's hooves pounding on the hard ground.

Darkness was upon them soon after and Fayna slowed to a trot. They bounced up and down for a while before Alarain caught a glimpse of something in the distance and pulled the horse to a halt. It was the glow of many campfires. She could also make out the shapes of tents here and there with little figures milling about them.

"Merry." she said, shaking him awake. The poor hobbit had fallen asleep sometime earlier and now blinked himself back into reality.

"What is it? I was having a lovely dream about..." He trailed off when his eyes landed on the campsite on the horizon. "The army!" he exclaimed.

"Shhh." Alarain shushed. "The sound travels far out here."

Merry looked back at her sheepishly and whispered, "Should we go back a bit and make camp?"

Nodding, she turned Fayna around and they left at a walk so as not to make so much noise. Alarain spotted a cluster of rocks on a small hill not far off and headed for them. Dismounting, she helped Merry to the ground and watched with a grin as he trotted over to peek out at the fires of the army. She removed Fayna's saddle and saddlebags before going to her head. The horse let out a happy rumble as the bit slid from her mouth.

"Alarain." came Merry's quiet call. "Come look at this."

She rested Fayna's tack down and wandered over. The hobbit pointed and Alarain had to squint to see what he was so excited about. One figure was not so tall as the others and also quiet broad. He was standing with some soldiers and seemed to be laughing as he downed a drink.

"Gimli?" she whispered.

Merry nodded and the two chuckled as they watched him gulp down another mug of what was probably ale. Soon though, Alarain pulled the hobbit from his observing and insisted eat some bread and get some sleep.

"But I'm not tired." Merry said with a yawn. Alarain raised an eyebrow dangerously and he giggled. "Alright. I'll go to bed." Her small companion wandered away and curled up in the nook between two boulders with some food.

Turning back to the dwarf, she was disappointed to see him walking out of sight. Another figure appeared at the entrance to a tent and the soldiers nearby gave him little bows as he passed. He heart jumped when she thought for a moment that it might be Aragorn. Then however, she noticed his long blond hair and sighed. It was Eomer.

"You should get some sleep." Merry whispered, imitating how she had spoken to him.

Alarain rolled her eyes at him and walked over, settling herself close by. With her back on a boulder, she drew her elvish cloak around herself and let her eyelids fall shut.

"Alarain, wake up!" Merry said urgently. She bolted upright as she felt his hands on her arms shaking her.

"What is it?" she asked, worry in her eyes.

The hobbit dashed away and grabbed the saddlebags and bridle. "Get Fayna and the saddle." he instructed.

Jumping up, she glanced over a rock to see a patrol of Rohirrim soldiers on horseback coming their way. Leaping into action, she picked up the heavy saddle with one arm and grabbed onto Fayna's mane. Pulling the horse behind her, she followed Merry to the top of the hill. Behind many large boulders at the highest point, they were completely concealed from all sides.

Quietly putting the horse's bridle on her head, Alarain held on to the reins and motioned for Merry to give her his cloak. He sent her a questioning look before hurrying to do so as she became frantic. When she was handed the piece of cloth, she soothed the confused horse and carefully placed it over her head. Fayna dropped her neck and Alarain covered the horse's ears.

Merry's face grew understanding and he helped to hold his cloak over Fayna's head. If the mare was to hear the Rohirrim's steeds, she was sure to let out a loud greeting. They held their breathe as the distinct sound of horse hooves grew closer. If they were to be discovered, they would surely be forced to stay back.

"I thought you said you saw a horse over here." a man's rough voice grumbled. "Do you see a horse now?"

The hoof beats stopped and another man spoke. "I'm sure I saw something." His voice was confused and Alarain imagined him stroking his beard in thought as his buddies looked on like he was crazy. She almost giggled before clamping a hand over her mouth.

"Come. There is nothing here. You must have imagined it." a third man said kindly.

"Just let me take a quick look around." he said as the sound of hooves on rock came again.

The hoof beats were slow as he walked around the hill, though thankfully, he never came up it. His horse let out a small whinny once, but Fayna stayed quiet. The soldier soon made his way back to his companions and they moved away, voices disappearing into the distance.

Once they were gone, Alarain let out a sigh of relief and Merry sat down with eyes wide. They stared at each other for a moment before Alarain handed him his cloak back and saddled Fayna.

"Get up. We cannot let one close call stop us." she said, lifting him to his feet. He wobbled slightly, but still made his way over to Fayna. Alarain helped him up into the saddle before swinging herself up behind him.

Walking down from the hill, they stood by the edge of the rocks and watched the patrol as it rejoined the army. Not long after, the entire group began to ride away.

"What are we waiting for? They're leaving." Merry blurted.

"Don't worry. We'll follow soon. Keep in mind that if we can still see them, they can still see us."

Merry sighed. "I know. I'm just excited. They're so close, but we can't even talk to them." His shoulders slumped in disappointment and he moved his gaze to the ground. "I miss Pippin." he mumbled.

"I'm sorry, Merry. You'll see him soon. As far as I know, there is only one more night until we reach the Black Gates." Alarain wrapped an arm around him and squeezed gently. He returned her hug and she spoke again. "They're out of view now. Let's go."

Taking up the reins once more, Alarain urged Fayna into a trot and followed their friends. Just like the many times before, the woman and hobbit joined in the silence that resided all around. Merry's head bobbed up and down to Fayna's gait and Alarain frowned. _How does such an innocent creature get pulled into all these events? Sauron must be full of a terrible hate to wish harm on these little halflings.__  
_

Time passed slowly and the repetitive sound of Fayna's hooves on the ground became agonizing. Alarain's head began to pound and she started to count boulders just to keep her mind on something else. A vulture was soaring many tree lengths up and she watched it suspiciously. The bird circled lower and Alarain let out a low grumble. She didn't trust vultures.

"I'm hungry."

Alarain was startled at the words and jumped slightly before looking down. She was met with an upset looking hobbit staring back at her. Twisting around, she rummaged in the saddlebags and brought out a half eaten chunk of bread.

"That's all the bread we have left." she told him. "There's some cheese and a few apples for tonight."

Merry nodded and took the bread gratefully. He was about to dig in when he paused. Ripping off a piece, the hobbit handed it back to her. "You should eat too. I've not seen you eating nearly as much as you should be." Alarain tried to protest, but he interrupted again. "I know you said that big people don't eat as often as hobbits, but I've been around enough big people now to know that they eat more than you."

She sighed. "I'll only eat it to stop your fussing." Merry grinned and she sent him a glare before taking the bread.

They snacked on their lunch for a while, trying to make it last. It was hard for Alarain to eat. She had not had much of an appetite for days and it did not help that the bread tasted like dirt.

Throughout the day, they would spot the army in the distance and pause for a moment to let them get ahead. Alarain dismounted at one point to feed Fayna an apple. The horse had not eaten anything since they had left the forests of Ithilien. Back in the saddle, they continued on with a depressed feeling hanging in the air.

Alarain had a lot of time to think while they rode, and her thoughts were mostly of Aragorn. She longed to be in his arms again, but there was still doubt in the back of her mind. Often she would try to distract herself, but her mind would always wander back. There was an ache ever present deep in her chest and she kept imagining his arms around her. She closed her eyes and almost felt his voice at her ear, but when she opened them, the sensation was gone.

Lost in thought, Alarain didn't notice the many figures on the horizon. Merry grabbed the reins and pulled Fayna to a stop.

"Alarain?" he asked, looking back at her through worried eyes. "Are you okay?"

Shaking herself mentally, she smiled. "I'm fine. I was just thinking." Taking the reins again, she turned the horse around and they rode off to find a place to camp.

The only cover nearby was a small pile of earth. Settling for that, they climbed down and Alarain relieved Fayna of her load. Her and Merry sat down across from each other and Alarain pulled out the remaining food. She was going to give him more, but he insisted that she divide it equally between them. Sighing, she complied and he smiled in satisfaction. They ate quietly and Alarain began to fidget under Merry's gaze.

"What?" she finally asked.

Merry just watched her for a moment longer before finishing up his meal. "Something is wrong."

Looking about, Alarain spotted nothing out of the ordinary and turned back to him, confusion written plainly on her face. "Care to explain?" she questioned.

"With you. Something is wrong with you." the hobbit clarified, sending her a worried look. "You hardly talk, you hardly eat, and you hardly sleep." Alarain stayed quiet, so he continued. "Also, a few days ago when I mentioned Aragorn, you got all stiff and looked bothered." She still didn't speak. "What's wrong?"

Alarain looked at the ground nervously. _What will he do if I tell him I'm not going back?_ Merry stayed silent while she thought, but shifted curiously. Finally he couldn't take it any longer. "Did you have a fight with him?"

Shaking her head, Alarain frowned. "Not exactly. It's a bit complicated."

Merry let out an exasperated sigh. "You love him and he loves you. What's so complicated?"

Slightly surprised at his bluntness, she looked back up to him. "I'm not going back, Merry."

"What?" he asked, obviously quiet confused. "What do you mean?"

Alarain took a deep breath before she continued. "If we win this war, I'm not going back to Minas Tirith." The hobbit said nothing, but only stared at her with wide eyes. "I can't." she whispered.

"Why not? Is it something to do with Aragorn?" Merry pressed. There was a long pause before Alarain gave him a small nod. "But..." he stuttered before collecting himself. "I don't know much about love, Alarain. But I do know that if you have a problem, you don't run from it." the hobbit said in a determined voice.

Avoiding his eyes, Alarain got up and walked a few paces away before settling down on the ground. "Goodnight." she said dismissively, trying to make it obvious that she didn't wish to speak of it anymore. She had to admit that what he had said sounded like good advice, but the doubt in her mind and the fear in her stomach halted any thoughts of returning to speak with Aragorn.

Merry grumbled something from his spot not far off and lay down, pulling his cloak around himself tightly. Normally, he would have returned the 'goodnight', but that evening, he stayed silent.


	33. Chapter 33

**Hello all! I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! I am re-watching the Lord of the Rings and I think I've beaten my writer's block! YAY! Hopefully I won't get it again before finishing this story! Happy reading!  
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Alarain was lying on her stomach, watching the army get ready to leave when Merry woke. They said little to each other as they packed up their gear and mounted Fayna. The woman could feel the tension between them after their previous night's chat. The same companionship that had been present for some time was still there however, and she could tell he was just upset.

The night had been tough for Alarain. She had spent most of it awake, and when she had closed her eyes, she would always wake not much later with terrible nightmares that would haunt her thoughts. Exhausted, she had ended up watching the small figures on the horizon until dawn.

Merry could see the weariness in her eyes, but didn't comment for fear of her grumpy wrath.

As they set off once again, Alarain felt her stomach clench. They would reach the Black Gates that day. Merry didn't speak for a long while and she could tell he felt the same.

As the day wore on, Fayna trudged along even slower, tripping now and again from exhaustion. Finally, Alarain dismounted to relieve the poor mare of some weight. She led her on foot, but soon had to stop for a rest, having not walked such long distances in a while.

Alarain sat down heavily, closing her eyes for a moment as Merry slid out of the saddle. He took a few steps and peered into the distance.

"Alarain," he said, his voice suddenly worried. She looked up and saw him pointing.

"What is it?"

The hobbit didn't answer, so she got to her feet and squinted as her eyes followed his finger. She could just make out the army on the horizon. They seemed to have stopped. Six riders cantered forwards and out of their view.

"I think we've arrived," Merry spoke quietly.

Alarain sprang into action at his words. "Come. We must catch up before the fight begins."

They were soon mounted again and Alarain kicked Fayna into a gallop. She kept close to a steep hill and out of sight of the army until they came to the end. Tugging on the reins, Alarain brought the mare to a halt and quickly dismounted again as Merry scrambled after her. Dropping to her knees, she crawled ahead and crouched behind a boulder. Merry peeked over the top and she looked around the side.

They were close enough now to make out the riders that now stood in front of the Black Gates. The farthest from them was Legolas with Gimli sitting behind him. Then came Gandalf, and beside him was Aragorn. Boromir came next, along with a Gondorian soldier who was holding a flag that whipped around in the wind. The closest rider to them was Eomer.

"Look! It's Pippin!" Merry exclaimed. Alarain glanced over at him with confusion. "There! He's sitting in front of Gandalf!" She took a closer look and sure enough, there was a small figure who also sat astride Shadowfax.

Her heart suddenly filled with fear at a deep and thunderous sound. The Gates had begun to open and a strange rider came out to meet their friends. His helmet was large and covered all but his mouth, which, even from so far away, she could tell was disgusting.

"That's not… Sauron, is it?" Merry asked with a gulp.

She shook her head. "I do not believe so. It must be there to speak for him though."

The rider halted his dark, armour clad horse in front of Brego and spoke. Alarain couldn't hear what it said, but still, a shiver ran down her spine. Gandalf answered the creature and whatever he said seemed to bother the rider. Its mouth turned up though, into a mocking smile. One of its hands reached into its dirty, black cloaks and yanked something out, holding it up for everyone to see.

"No," Merry whispered, his eyes growing wide. Alarain heart stopped when she realized what it had clutched in its filthy fingers. It was Frodo's coat of mithril. It shone in the sun as she watched and her eyes began to water. "No!" Merry yelled it this time, almost running out from their hiding place. Alarain caught his leg and dragged him back, wrapping her arms around him so he wouldn't try again.

They looked back out, Merry whimpering quietly, to see that the ugly creature had thrown the mithril to Gandalf who passed it to Pippin. The strange rider spoke again, but there was silence from their friends as the news sunk in.

Merry went quiet as Aragorn nudged Brego forward, and Alarain held her breath. He was dressed in more than just ranger clothes and now wore a very kingly looking set of armour.

The rider from Mordor spoke to him as he pulled Brego alongside its own horse. He didn't seem to be listening however, as his hand flew up with Anduril in its grasp and the head of the creature fell to the ground, no longer attached to its body. Aragorn's sword caught the sun and she and Merry had to shield their eyes from the glare as the six riders galloped back to the waiting army.

Looking back to the Black Gates, Alarain groaned. As they opened farther, she could see the vast armies of Mordor as they began flooding out onto the plains and surrounding the others. Pulling Merry farther out of sight, they held their breath as the orcs marched past. She peeked out again and just caught Aragorn's shape as he spoke to his army before the orcs blocked her view and she lost sight of him.

Merry exchanged a glance with her as they lay there, waiting for the battle to begin. His eyes were terrified, but as his gaze moved to Mordor, they hardened with hate. Securing his helmet in place, he rested a hand on the hilt of his sword and readied himself for the fight.

Mordor's army had stopped, having fully circled Aragorn and the others, and Alarain risked standing up to see what was happening. A yell suddenly sounded from the middle, followed by a thunderous roar of voices, and her breath caught in her throat when she saw that the battle had started. Aragorn was leading the charge, sprinting full speed into the orcs, his sword dancing as it met flesh.

"Alarain," Merry said from her side. She glanced down to him and saw sadness in his big, round eyes. "Good luck," he whispered, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. Then, unsheathing his sword, he raced away.

She stood still for a moment, working up the courage to go after him before grasping her hilt, bringing out the blade in a swift motion, and following at a run. Merry was just disappearing into the fight when she spotted him and headed for the same spot, hoping to keep him as safe as she could.

As Alarain neared the orcs, she raised her sword and brought the blade down, slicing it through a shoulder. The orc fell down dead and she pushed past another before ducking the swing from a third. Fighting her way farther in, she began seeing more and more Gondorian and Rohirrim soldiers as she got closer to the middle.

Catching a glimpse of Merry, Alarain dashed forwards and stabbed a nearby orc. It yelled angrily and swung around madly. The tip of its sword caught her arm and she winced. Still, she didn't falter, and attacked until it was dead.

Turning, the woman saw a Rohirrim soldier in trouble and rushed to his aid. The man seemed shocked for a moment at the sight of a woman, but the orcs he was fighting soon distracted him. She stood beside him and together, they drove the beasts away, slaying a few as they went. The soldier seemed to regain his will to fight and Alarain left him to finish off his enemy.

A shriek filled the air and many heads turned to the sky. Her stomach gave a jolt when she saw the flying beasts. With Nazgul astride them, the Fell Beasts came through the smoky sky and flew straight for the army, and straight for her. She froze as one descended on her and was astounded when another shape met the creature mid-air.

"The Eagles are coming!" a small voice yelled nearby. Looking up to the skies away from Mordor, Alarain smiled in awe. Giant, brown eagles came dancing over the battle to meet the Nazgul, their wings gliding and singing across the wind.

A shout from somewhere to her right caught her attention and she almost missed a sword aimed at her throat. Almost. Catching it with her own blade only inches from her face, she backed up and pushed off from an orc behind her, catching her foe off guard. It was soon lying dead, but Alarain was tiring and they didn't seem to be winning.

The shout came again and she spun around, trying to find where it was coming from. There! The flash of long blond hair caught her eye and she spotted Legolas through a gap in the bodies. Fighting off another orc, she glanced over to see the Elf struggling to make his way through the mass of orcs and Men.

Pain flashed through her and she looked down to see blood dripping from her hand. The hilt of an orc sword came down on her head and she fell to her knees. Glancing up, her eyes widened with fear. There was a sharp, rusty blade headed straight for her face.

Alarain was about to say goodbye to the world when the orc's arm was chopped clean off. Looking up into the face, she was startled to see Eomer staring down at her. They're eyes remained locked for a moment before he shook himself out of his confusion and yanked her to her feet.

"What are you…?" He was cut off as they became surrounded, and began fighting like a mad man. Holding her sword firmly with both her injured, and uninjured hand, Alarain did as best she could to help. "How did you get here?" Eomer yelled.

Grunting as she killed another orc, Alarain shouted back, "It doesn't matter!" They shared a glare before quickly turning their attention back to the enemy.

As orc after orc fell in their wake, Alarain suddenly stopped, having spotted what Legolas was trying to get to. Eomer hardly gave her a glance as he kept on fighting. Springing back into action, Alarain pushed past anyone in her way. Fighting twice as hard, she came upon her prey. She plunged her sword as hard as she could into the back of a huge troll who, at the moment, was crushing Aragorn beneath its massive foot.

It roared with rage and, swinging its arm, sent her flying. She landed hard on her back and felt her leg twist with agony as the breath was forced out of her. Glancing up, she saw Aragorn stabbing madly at the beast's foot. It stepped off him and Alarain watched in horror as it brought up its sword to finish him off.

All of a sudden, the troll turned, looking back into Mordor. The orcs nearby also turned, their eyes widening with horror. Aragorn scrambled to his feet and got ready to fight the troll again. However, the troll no longer wanted anything to do with him. It took off.

An orc standing beside her ran as well, while another began stabbing itself in the chest. It fell to the ground and she scooted away as its arm landed beside her.

Struggling to her feet, she rested most of her weight on her good leg as her gaze was drawn into Mordor. It was the first time she had seen the Eye, but it didn't terrify her as she thought it would, probably because it was panicking. The flaming Eye of Sauron was darting around as the tower beneath it began to topple in on itself.

_Frodo and Sam have done it,_ she thought, a smile spreading across her face as she watched the tower of Barad-dur fall. She could almost hear Sauron's scream as he fell with it and could hardly tear her eyes from the scene. However, she had to leave before she was noticed. If Aragorn saw her, she'd never get away.

Turning around, she limped through the soldiers. No one gave her a second glance. In fact, no one even gave her a first glance. All eyes were on the Dark Tower as it crashed to the ground. Orcs were still fleeing, and some were killing themselves, but no one noticed.

Nearly halfway to the back of the army, Alarain's body tensed. A thunderous explosion met her ears and she brought up her hands to cover them. A great crack came next and the ground shook. Looking behind her, Alarain could hardly believe her eyes when she saw the Black Gates come crashing down into a massive creator that stretched around Aragorn's army, plunging thousands of orcs to their deaths.

Another explosion came from Mordor and her face fell. Mount Doom had erupted, and Frodo and Sam were inside. "No," she whimpered. Grief crept over her and she began to cry. Once again, she fell to her knees and stared as lave surged from the volcano.

Scrambling up, Alarain stumbled away with tears clouding her vision. In shock, she didn't notice the creature in front of her until she bumped into it. Looking up, she was met with Fayna's wide, wild eyes. The horse had come to find her master and Alarain was glad. She grabbed the saddle and, finding the stirrup, clambered on. Fayna shifted uneasily and Alarain urged her away.

Glancing over her shoulder, she took in the scene one more time before her head bowed weakly and she kicked Fayna into a gallop, wincing as her injured leg was bumped. Unknown to her, a small pair of Hobbit eyes had seen her go, and he was not about to keep it a secret.

Fayna took her far, though Alarain wasn't keeping track of which direction she was heading. She only knew that she wanted to get away. Suddenly she wished for the comfort of her old home with the horse breeders. Her life had been peaceful then. She did not have the worries she carried now.

Darkness filled her vision and Alarain slumped in the saddle. Soon, Fayna slowed so her rider would not fall as she slept.

Alarain woke many hours later, and with head pounding, she took in her surroundings. Fayna had stopped to rest for the night, but still, the only scenery was dirt and rocks. It would take days for her to get out of the barren wasteland. Even if she did, she wouldn't have the strength to heal herself.

That's when she remembered the scar, and the magic. _It healed me once. Maybe it can do it again._

Blinking herself awake, Alarain closed her eyes and concentrated. Her arm burned and she glanced down. The hand was bubbling. She frowned and tried again. Concentrating even harder, she felt like she was about to get it when the feeling of being struck by lightening flew through her whole body and she fell to the ground with a thump.

Her mare started and stepped away before snorting grumpily. Alarain groaned and lay still. Her body didn't want to move and she didn't want to make it. So she lay there and thought of the day's events until grief caught up with her again and she began to cry silently.

Fayna stepped closer and sniffed at her face. Then she turned away and, standing near her friend, raised her head to watch for danger.


	34. Chapter 34

**Hmmm... I don't really have anything to say up here...**

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The sun beamed down on Alarain as she opened her eyes. It blinded her and she had to close them quickly. Lifting an arm to shield her face, she breathed in sharply as pain shot through it and let the arm fall back to the ground. Propping herself up with her other elbow, Alarain sat up stiffly. She opened her eyes again, blinking rapidly in the bright midday sun.

Fayna had wandered a few steps away with her head drooping and eyes closed. Trying to get up, Alarain groaned when her leg gave way. She investigated, but could not find an open wound. _I must have just twisted it,_ she thought.

A low whinny came from the horse when she saw Alarain sitting up. Walking over, she blew on her head in greeting.

"Hello, my friend," Alarain answered. "How did you sleep?" She knew Fayna wouldn't answer, but she was disappointed all the same when the horse stayed quiet.

Stretching to reach for the stirrup, she pulled the horse closer and used her to stand. When she was up, Alarain limped her way to the other side and carefully put weight on her bad leg. Pain surged through it, but she stood on it anyway. Placing her good foot in the stirrup, she managed to pull herself on.

"Let's go, Fayna," she whispered. "We've got to get out of this place."

Urging Fayna on, they were soon traveling at a steady canter. Alarain's head still bobbed with exhaustion and her leg ached whenever it was bumped, but nonetheless, she stayed awake to keep Fayna from stopping.

Cradling her injured arm and hand, she reached back and searched the saddlebags, hoping that Eowyn might have packed some bandages. Sure enough, she found two rolls deep in the bottom. Ripping off a few pieces in her teeth, Alarain stashed the rest and wrapped her wounds.

The cut on the back of her hand was the worst, though it had stopped bleeding, mostly because of the dry blood that blocked it. The slash in her upper arm was not as bad, as it wasn't deep. Rolling up her sleeve, she wrapped that as well and glanced down at the white mark. Frowning at it, she drew her sleeve down again, not wanting to look at the scar.

Alarain tried to busy herself for the rest of the day, but there was not much she could do on a cantering horse besides think. And that was out of the question, as the only people she could think of, were either possibly dead or she was never going to see them again.

So instead of pondering such things, she began to count. She counted anything she saw. Rocks were about all there was though, so she soon turned her eyes to the sky and watched for clouds.

As the sun neared the horizon that evening, the horse and rider came across a dip in the ground with some boulders at the edge. Deciding to make camp there, Alarain turned Fayna and they trudged down the slope. At the bottom, she climbed to the ground and was happy to find her leg was feeling better. It was still sore and she was still limping, but she could put weight on it without having to grit her teeth.

Searching the saddlebags again, Alarain's mood fell when she realized she was almost out of water. Taking a small sip, she placed it back in carefully, making sure it was securely closed.

Startled at a sudden warning neigh from Fayna, Alarain whipped around and gulped. She was in no condition to fight, and yet there, coming down the slope, was an orc. When no others followed, her hopes rose slightly.

"What's this?" the beast said, showing a rotting grin. "I thought I smelled something tasty over here." It licked its lips in anticipation and looked over her shoulder. "You've got a horse too. I'm gonna be eating good tonight!" Grinding her teeth together as she withdrew her sword, Alarain only glared in response. "Gonna put up a little fight, are we?" the orc snarled again. "Good. I like my food feisty!"

Letting out a yell, Alarain swung and missed by a lot as the orc dodged and laughed mockingly. All of a sudden, it leapt forward and brought down its blade across her face. Screaming as the sword sliced into her skin, Alarain swung again, blindly this time as blood blocked one eye. A kick to her stomach sent her falling on her back and she glanced up to see the orc was not advancing. It was waiting for her to get up again.

Lying still, she pretended to have blacked out. The orc growled and stalked forward, leaning over her and frowning. "What's the matter with you? Get up!"

It took her chin and moved her head roughly, grumbling when she kept her good eye closed. Her other eye wasn't going to open any time soon, so she didn't have to worry about that.

Taking the orc by surprise, Alarain launched up and kicked him away. She was on him before he could register what happened and soon he was the one lying still.

Collapsing back on her knees, the woman sat there for a moment before her eye began to burn. Carefully touching the blood covered eye, she winced. Fayna rumbled nervously nearby and she called to her. The horse came slowly and reluctantly, but walked to stand beside her all the same.

"I'm afraid I'll be needing those bandages again, Fayna," Alarain said quietly, in too much pain to speak any louder.

Her eye was killing her by the time she stumbled to the horse's side and brought out the cloth with shaking hands. Crouching down again, she took her sword and cut a piece of her cloak off, almost feeling guilty for wrecking the beautiful Elvish garment. However, she had to do what she had to do.

Pressing a wad of bandages to her eye, she wrapped the strip of cloak around her head to keep it in place. Then, struggling to her feet once more, she mounted Fayna.

"I'm sorry, my friend, for pushing you like this, but I don't think either of us wish to stop again." And with that, Alarain bumped her mare into a trot.

They traveled all through the night, occasionally going at a walk so Fayna could rest. The horse was doing rather well for the fact that she was starving. All Alarain could do was hope to reach some grass soon, and get something in the mare's stomach. Eventually, Fayna refused to go any faster than a slow ramble. Alarain sympathized and didn't push her.

Her eye had gone numb only hours after they had left. She could no longer feel any pain and she feared that she might have lost her sight entirely in that eye. Only time would tell. Alarain didn't dare try healing with magic again, as she was worried it would make things worse. The White Hand seemed to be mocking her every time she lifted her sleeve to check the cut on her arm, and she would cover it quickly, blocking it from her mind.

Soon, Alarain felt her good eyelid begin to fall. Next thing she knew, she was in a dream. It was a terrible dream, filled with darkness and danger. She didn't know which way to run or where to hide. Spinning around, she gasped when she found Aragorn stepping out of the black. He was glaring at her, and as he drew closer, she saw the rage in his eyes. She backed away from him, begging with her eyes for him to stop, but still he advanced. Drawing Anduril from its scabbard, he raised it above her and as she turned to run, she tripped and felt herself falling and tumbling.

She hit the ground with a grunt and opened her one eye to bright sunlight. Fayna stood nearby, watching her curiously. Realizing she'd fallen out of the saddle, Alarain sat up and was surprised to find grass under her hands. Swinging her gaze around, a smile almost formed on her face at the sight of trees. The sound of rushing water came from nearby and as she struggled to her feet, she saw they were beside a calm, wide river.

"The Anduin," she whispered. "Oh, Fayna, you've brought me to the Anduin!"

Running as best she could to the river, she stumbled at the bank and fell to her knees. Bending down, the woman drank deeply and happily. When her thirst had been quenched, Alarain sat back on the grass and took off her cloak. She unwound the blood covered bandages from her hand and arm and washed the wounds in the water before re-wrapping them with fresh ones.

Cringing, she removed the strip of cloak from her head and carefully felt around her swollen eye. She soaked a wad of clean bandages with the cool river water and touched it to her eye, whimpering as it seeped into the cut.

Alarain lay back on the cool grass with the cloth still pressed to her wound. She let out a loud sigh and almost smiled when Fayna snorted back at her nearby.

"Fayna, my friend," she spoke to the horse. "What am I to do now?" The mare's only answer was a swish of her tail.

Opening her good eye some time later, Alarain sat up, glancing around nervously. Night had fallen and Fayna was nowhere to be seen. Fear grew in her stomach as she scrambled to her feet, moaning as her twisted leg decided to give her a rough time. She made a clicking noise to call the horse and waited. The only sound was from the river beside her and she frowned.

"Fayna," she called quietly, still scared that there might be something else lurking in the woods. Again, she was met with silence. "Stupid horse probably wandered off," she mumbled to herself, partly to calm her nerves.

Slumping to the ground at the riverbank, Alarain looked up to the sky to see the moon shining happily down on her. Her gaze dropped to the water and she gasped at her refection. The long slice across her face left her with a puffy black eye that refused to open and a malicious look about her. She stared at her reflection for some time as she felt tears begin to build. It stung as they fell from her closed eye, making her cry even harder.

A shriek rang out in the forest and Alarain jumped before relaxing when the familiar hoot of an owl came soon after. She still never got used to it though, and especially hated it when they started with that horrible scream. It reminded her too much of the Nazgul.

Turning her back to the river, she narrowed her eye to scan the underbrush, hoping to spot her horse. There was nothing though. She was completely alone.

Restlessness clawed at her heart and she took one more drink before she began stumbling upriver, looking for a safe place to sleep. It didn't take long before her legs began to shake and she had to stop for a rest. Her wounds had very much weakened her and she was relieved to find a small crack in some rocks that she could slip into. Soon enough, she was huddled into the small space and found herself drifting off yet again.

The morning found her staggering along the river once more. She soon lost track of time, but she did not stop as something told her to keep moving. She just needed to get away from Mordor, from the orcs, and most of all, from Aragorn. She couldn't face him. She needed to put as much distance between them as she could, as Merry had most definitely confessed everything by then.

Her mind seemed to fall into a trance as she curled up beneath the roots of a tree that night. And when she woke, she walked.

**Aragorn's POV**

It was late afternoon, and Aragorn was at the head of the line as they rode slowly to Osgiliath. In his opinion, it was much too slow. Merry had told him everything. How Alarain had healed them, how they had escaped from Minas Tirith, and how she was leaving. Eomer had also informed him of their meeting on the battlefield, and how she was already wounded at that point.

"Aragorn?" a voice said at his side, snapping him out of his pondering. He turned to see Boromir watching him intently. "I've left you to your thoughts long enough. What do you plan on doing?"

Avoiding his friend's gaze, he looked ahead, staying silent for a moment. He knew what Boromir spoke of. Letting out a deep sigh, he glanced over again and shook his head. "I have not decided," was his only answer.

Boromir slowed his horse again and exchanged a worried glance with Legolas and Gimli, who rode just behind them.

Shifting in Brego's saddle, Aragorn frowned. He would normally have confided in Gandalf, but he was long gone. The Eagles had flown him into Mordor to search for Frodo and Sam, and even if they had found them, he would not know. The wizard had planned to take them straight back to Minas Tirith.

It was only when the army had stopped for the night and all was quiet when the ranger went in search of his companions. He found Legolas and his dwarf friend and bid them follow him as he spotted Boromir and Eomer sitting around a fire close by.

"I've made up my mind," he said quietly, not wanting anyone else asking questions.

"Yes?" Gimli asked impatiently as they all leaned forward. Well, Boromir and Legolas did. Eomer however, was not so concerned with the matter, though he listened politely all the same.

"I will come as far as Osgiliath, but from there," he turned to Boromir. "I would ask you to lead the soldiers back to Minas Tirith. I will be turning back to search for her."

"Alone?" Legolas asked.

His ranger friend answered with a nod. "There's no reason for anyone else to come. I can travel best on my own."

"Very well," the elf nodded as the others agreed.

With that done, Aragorn strode quietly away, his dark shape melting into the darkness as he wandered farther from the firelight and to the edge of the encampment.

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**Thank you for reading! I don't know why I felt the need to say that, but it's polite! Plus I really am thankful!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Dun dun duuuuuuuun!**** I'm so excited for you to read this chapter! And be sure to also read the note at the end! P.S. Yay for Aragorn's POV!  
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Rain was pouring down around her as Alarain huddled underneath the branches of a tree. Shivers would jolt through her now and again as the water soaked into her skin. Needless to say, the tree did little to shelter her from the storm.

She glanced up from time to time to check the moon's position in the sky, but always, she would frown in disappointment when she failed to find it through the dark clouds. Not knowing when morning would come was stressing. The woman could not sleep, and her eyes darted around constantly, watching for signs of danger. Yes, her other eye was open now, though just barely, and it still pained her to move it.

Days had passed, though she knew not how many, as she was much too busy with trying to stay alive to keep track. She had no food, so she had to make do with edible plants that she stumbled across once in a while. She had also lost her water, which had gone with Fayna. However, she stayed by the Anduin and drank from it when needed.

Her thoughts took her away and before she knew it, the downpour had stopped and the sun was shining through. The first thing she did was look for something to eat, which she soon found in the form of some nettles. Again, she had a quick drink and set off. Her leg was no longer troubling her, but she would still have to stop and rest often. After loosing so much blood, she was not as strong as she would normally have been in the present situation.

Time dragged on slowly as she walked, and she watched her feet in a trance. Left, right, left, right, left, right. It seemed as if it would never end. The constant sound of the water began to make her wish for silence and soon she retreated farther into the woods to get away from it.

Slumping down with her back to tree, Alarain rolled up her sleeve and studied the white scar. It was fading ever so slightly, and she smiled at the prospect of it disappearing altogether. The frown came back to her face though, when she realized that scars never went away. The white stain would probably fade, but the hand mark would always be there. Her newest scar would most likely never leave her as well, and she reached up to feel it, sadness washing over her at the thought. Pulling up the hood of her cloak, she hid her face for the rest of the afternoon.

Sitting alone in the darkening forest, Alarain began to long for conversation and the thought of Merry and Pippin came to her mind. They would be able to make her smile, even in the state she was in now. They would make her forget about her face, the mark on her arm, her headache, and Aragorn… No. Even they couldn't make her forget about him.

"Stop it, Alarain," she said to herself out loud, her voice sore from lack of speaking. "He has responsibilities that do not include you."

_Are you sure about that?_

"Yes," she growled to the voice in her head, getting slowly to her feet.

_Are you sure you're not just running because you're afraid? Because you are scared of getting hurt?_

Alarain shook her head, though a feeling of guilt still washed through her. "No. That's not it. He's…"

_That is precisely it! You're afraid of him casting you out! You're afraid that he will not want you!_

"NO!" she yelled, beginning to pace. "I'm not afraid. He is the heir to the throne of Gondor. He is a king! Have you ever heard of a king with a horse breeder as a queen?" The voice stayed quiet. "I didn't think so!"

**Aragorn's POV**

(A few days earlier)

It was already several days since his departure from Osgiliath, and Aragorn had changed into his ranger garb once again. He was riding back along the trail at a steady canter when Brego let out a loud whinny in greeting. He pulled the excited horse to a halt and glanced around, his eyes scanning the undergrowth for orcs. Brego was not afraid though, and took a step towards the bend in the path ahead as another horse came into view.

The newcomer watched them nervously, pacing, as if not sure if they were a threat or not. Aragorn frowned when noticing the saddle and bridle the horse still wore. Slipping carefully out of his saddle so as not to startle the poor thing, he looped Brego's reins over a branch and stepped towards it.

Letting out a scared snort, the horse flicked an ear as he spoke to it in a calm, low voice. He spoke in elvish, and soon, he got close enough to study the horse. It was a powerful, bright bay mare that looked curiously familiar.

"Amin sinta lle?" (Do I know you?) he asked gently. Suddenly his memory kicked in and he stared. He did know this horse! It was Fayna! "Manke naa Alarain?" (Where is Alarain?)

Fayna snorted again in response and lowered her head. Taking that as a sign that she would let him approach, he took a few more steps and she met him half way. Stroking her nose, he frowned at the rough condition she was in. She was sweaty, skinny, and breathing hard.

Before doing anything else, he led her to the side of the path and relieved her of her saddle and saddlebags. Then stepping to her head, he carefully took her bridle off, letting the bit fall slowly from her mouth. She chewed gratefully and immediately dropped her head to graze.

"Lle creoso," (You're welcome.) he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as she flicked her tail at him.

Moving to the saddlebags, he crouched and shuffled through them. There was nothing except for a few rolls of bandages and an empty canteen. The ranger frowned again as he spotted another canteen. He lifted it to his nose and sniffed. _Wine?_ Giving it a funny look, he dropped it back in and went to Brego's side.

"Don't worry, my friend," he said, giving him a pat. "Fayna will be fine here." Then he swung into the saddle and pointed the stallion in the direction in which the lone mare had just come.

The horse and rider moved throughout the night, only halting to search for signs of Alarain. Day came quickly and Aragorn ran a hand through his hair as he wondered if he would find anything. From what Merry had told him, Alarain and Fayna had headed west from the battlefield. Surely they would've come across the Anduin eventually, if they even got that far, and from there they were somehow separated.

Turning Brego west off the path, the ranger rode through the woods and within a short time, came across the river. Continuing north, he let Brego find his own route around the rocks and trees.

By midday, they came across an area where the trees thinned and the ground was covered in grass more than leaves. Aragorn narrowed his eyes at the ground and leaped off Brego when spotting something. He crouched and took a blade of grass in his fingers. It had been bitten off, as if an animal had eaten it. _Perhaps a horse?_

Running down to the shore, he desperately searched for clues, but the rain had washed away all hope of finding a footprint. _Wait. There! _Tucked away and almost hidden from view, Aragorn tugged out a bandage. It had blood on it.

"Alarain, where are you?" he whispered to himself.

Using basic logic, Aragorn soon figured that she had walked upriver from there. Otherwise, her only hope of crossing if she went south was Osgiliath. "Or Cair Andros," he muttered out loud. "And there she'd still be seen." So with that, he sprang onto Brego and set off north again.

It was evening when Aragorn began to give up hope. Suddenly though, luck smiled upon, for there on a branch farther from the shore was a strand of hair. He dismounted once more and dashed over. Sure enough, the hair was orange. Thanking his keen eyes, he tied Brego to the tree and slipped into the woods. That was when he heard a shout.

"NO!"

**Alarain's POV**

Still pacing and muttering to herself, Alarain was oblivious to the pair of gray-green eyes that followed her every move. In fact, she was so caught up in talking to herself that she didn't even notice when he emerged from the shadows and took a step towards her. Only when turning mid-pace, did she see him.

Their gazes locked for only a moment before she looked down, hiding her injured eye from his view. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a small, wavering voice as she backed away.

He did not answer at first, but only took another step closer. "Why?" he whispered, ignoring her question. "Why did you leave?" Alarain felt her heart begin to pound as she grew more and more nervous. "Why did you push me away?" he asked, hurt apparent in his voice as it rose beyond the normal level. "Do you know how terrified I was when Merry told me what had happened? I thought you were dead! With my duties to my people though, I could not just crawl off into the woods, though believe me when I say I wanted to!"

Guilt surged through her as she answered. "You do have a duty to your people, Aragorn. I understand that, and I understand that I cannot be beside you when you take the throne."

"What makes you think that you are not one of them?" he asked angrily, stepping right in front of her. "What makes you believe that I do not have the same duty to you?"

"I'm not one of them!" she said, almost looking up as she raised her own voice. "I come from Rohan!"

He scoffed. "Don't give me that. You may have grown up there, but you are no Rohirrim."

Carefully peeking up to his face, Alarain made sure that her eyes were still covered by shadow. "What do you mean?"

Aragorn took a deep breath to calm himself and held up his hands in a sign of peace as he took a step back. "On our journey to the Black Gates, I had some time to speak with Gandalf. I mentioned that you may be one of the Dunedain and..." He paused, his eyes moving to the ground.

"What?" Alarain whispered, barely breathing.

He moved closer once more and spoke. "He told me that he too, remembers a small girl from my village." His hand came up to play with a strand of hair that had fallen from under her hood. "One who had beautiful orange hair. He likened to it like a ray of sunshine in dark times. It was you, Alarain."

Alarain did not know what to say. She _was_ one of the Dunedain? "If what you say is true, how do I not remember these things?"

"When our village was attacked, you saw terrible sights," Aragorn began, his hand falling back to his side. "Gandalf did not think it wise to let a child remember such things." He went silent for a moment before taking another long, slow breath. "He put a spell on you so you would forget, and he was the one who brought you to Rohan, where you would be safe."

Tears began to well up in her eyes as he spoke. Her whole past had been a lie. Rohan suddenly felt less like home, and more like a prison. "Why did he not tell me?" she asked in a whisper.

"I will never understand the reasons behind his actions, but he must have had some." He paused once again before speaking tentatively. "Alarain?"

"Yes?"

"He knows who your parents were." Alarain's gaze shot up and Aragorn's mouth fell open at the sight of her scarred eye. He stepped forward before she could stop him and pulled her hood down. "What happened?" he asked, worry and horror melting from his voice.

Alarain hit his hand away from her face and took a step away. "Who?" she asked, more forcefully this time.

"Please, may I not have a look at that first?" Alarain shook her head with a frown, her glare not moving from his until he began to speak again. After the small stare down, he continued. "Your father's name was Dirhaborn. He was one of the rangers under my fathers command, as was your mother. A woman ranger is nearly unheard of, and I suppose that's where you got your personality from." He smiled a sad, lopsided grin at that.

"What was her name?" she asked, voice still almost at the point of breaking.

"Elgarain," he answered gently.

"Did they…?"

Aragorn bowed his head. "I am afraid so. But know this; they died fighting for their people, and for you. There was much honour in their deaths." His voice had turned so calm and gentle that she almost ran right into his arms. Almost.

They stood in silence for a moment while the news sank in, and when it had, Alarain looked to the ground and closed her eyes as she tried not to cry. She felt Aragorn's presence come closer and backed away again. She still couldn't give in, no matter how much she wanted to. So what if she was a Dunedain? It didn't change a thing, did it?

"Alarain?" he whispered. "Please tell me something." When she didn't answer, he continued anyway. "Do you love me?" She glanced up to his eyes again and her stomach flipped. "If you do not feel that way any longer, I will not pursue you. But if you do, you will never be rid of me."

She hesitated in her answer just long enough that a hopeful little grin slowly formed on his scruffy face. Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to speak, but no matter how hard she tried, Alarain could not say it.

"Alarain, love is a promise, a promise to love someone through anything. Whether it be a small argument, or a war for your country, that promise is still there." Taking her hands gently with his, Aragorn met her gaze with all the love he could muster in his own. "Whether it is a promise from a farmer to a maiden, or a king to his queen, it is a promise that will never disappear. I made that promise to you a long time ago and I am not about to break it."

Glancing down to hide her astonishment at the words he had just said, Alarain looked curiously at his wrist. There it was, in the same spot it had been since Rivendell. The horse-hair bracelet. "It's still there…" she said slowly. "What made it not just fall apart?"

Aragorn stroked her hands tenderly with his thumbs and inched closer. "Love, perhaps?" Her eyes drifted back up to his face and her legs suddenly felt weak at the sight of his loving gaze. He let go of one of her hands to touch her cheek softly as his expression turned sad and confused. "Why _did_ you run?"

"I… I was scared," she admitted, giving in to her inner voice.

Aragorn frowned. "Of what?"

Again, Alarain dropped her eyes in guilt and shame. "I was afraid that once you were the king, you wouldn't need me, or want me now that I look like this."

"Well then, you were rather foolish, weren't you?"

She looked back up to glare at him, but saw the sparkle in his eyes and couldn't help but smile at the teasing look on his face. Then, without wasting another moment, he wrapped his arms around her and picked her up, swinging her around in circles before setting her back down. Needless to say, her smile stayed.

The expression that suddenly came over his face was odd for her to see. It was not a weakness he showed regularly. He looked almost… nervous? However, after glancing into her eyes for merely a heartbeat, he seemed to calm. He smiled as he sank to the ground, and on one knee, he watched her with a twinkle in his eye.

"I don't have a ring for you, but…" Aragorn paused when a look of complete shock crossed her face. Alarain's heart suddenly filled with joy and her mouth fell open. All the feelings she had been holding in began leaking out in the form of tears as he flashed his smile up at her.

"Alarain, daughter of Elgarain, will you give me the honour of having your hand in marriage?" Not even pausing to think it over, she felt herself nodding, and no sooner than she had, Aragorn leaped to his feet and kissed her with all the love she felt in her own heart.

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**Note at the end: Just so you know, I do NOT own Dirhaborn and Elgarain! They belong to whoever thought them up for the fan film 'Born of Hope'. If anyone out there has seen it, you'll know that there was no way that Dirhaborn and Elgarain could have had a baby, but this is a fanfiction, so that doesn't really matter!**

**P.S. Don't be sad! I'm not done yet! (You can't get rid of me that easily!)  
**


	36. Chapter 36

**No excuses. I'm just sorry I'm so slow with this story. Hope you still like this chapter though!  
**

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The beautiful reflection of the stars shone brilliantly off the river as Alarain stared silently at the surface. Her brown eyes glimmering in the moonlight, she glanced over to the man beside her and smiled at the peaceful look on his face as he slept.

Aragorn had promptly set her atop Brego the day before and pointed him towards Osgiliath. Of course, it would take a few days before they reached the city, so they had made camp by the water's edge when the sun had dipped behind the trees.

He stirred beside her and his arm reached out, pulling her back down when he found her arm. "You should be sleeping," he whispered groggily as he watched her.

Alarain raised an eyebrow at him and sighed before closing her eyes obediently. The feeling of his arms encircling her brought giggles from her lips as he tugged her closer.

"I don't want to go back," he whispered again, placing kisses in her hair.

"Yes, you do," Alarain answered with a roll of her eyes, pushing his body away so she could look up at him. "You know you do. You haven't completely forgotten about our friends have you?"

He smiled. "I'm glad you're here to tell me what I want."

Tilting her head at the sparkle in his eyes, she grinned. "What's that I hear? Sarcasm perhaps?"

"Me?" he asked innocently. "Sarcastic? No," he shook his head seriously. "You must be mistaken."

"Are you sure you're the same man that I met in Bree? You mustn't be. You smile all the time," she teased.

He rolled his eyes at her that time. "I wasn't _that_ bad-tempered."

"I suppose not," Alarain smiled, snuggling back into his chest.

They were quiet for a moment, taking in the view of the night sky together. Aragorn's voice soon broke the silence.

"I hope you get a good, loud scolding when we reach Minas Tirith."

Alarain propped herself up on her elbow again with a frown. "Why?"

He paused, biding his time and grinning at the impatient look on her face. "For coming after us in the first place." Alarain was about to argue, but he put up his hand. "Don't even try. I'm still mad at you for it. Just be happy that I can't bring myself to yell at you."

They're gazes remained locked, Alarain's eyes hard and Aragorn's soft. Finally, she couldn't take it any more and his smile broke her. She fell back down beside him and shifted closer once more, closing her eyes as his arm moved around her shoulders and held her.

"I couldn't let my friends go…"

"Shhh."

Alarain scowled, but a yawn soon broke her expression and she sighed deeply. She was intending to make a teasing remark about how she didn't know how long she'd be able to stand being married to him when she stopped herself. The thought still hadn't quite settled in her mind and her heart skipped as she fidgeted anxiously.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently.

Alarain couldn't seem to bring herself to say it out loud, but with the soft tightening of Aragorn's arms, she gulped. "I don't know how to be a queen," she whispered as quietly as she could.

Still, his ranger hearing picked up her words easily and he rested his head on hers. "I don't know how to be a king," he whispered back, just as quiet.

Giggling, she shook her head. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

He snickered and spoke again, very gently, as if she was made of thin glass and would shatter at any moment. "We'll have lots of help, Alarain, especially from Boromir and his brother. We aren't alone."

Her heart calmed a tiny amount at his words and she nodded. "I'm still scared though."

The feeling of his fingers startled her as he moved her chin up to his face, and he watched her steadily before speaking in a warm, charming whisper. "I'll protect you."

He leaned forward and his breath on her lips sent a shiver right through her. It was just as she thought a kiss should be like. Tender, romantic, gentle, and most of all, caring. Really caring. The world fell away around them as her senses focused only on him. She could feel the love in his lips just as easily as if he told her out loud, and she shuddered at the touch of his hands behind her neck and around her waist as he moved his body closer. A tingle ran down her spine as he broke away and moved his lips to her forehead and she couldn't help but let out a trembling sigh.

Without another word, he lay back down in the grass and pulled her to his chest. There they stayed until Alarain felt her eyelids begin to fall, and she soon fell asleep to the rhythm of his heart and the soft stroking of his fingers on her arm.

The morning found them packing up their camp and climbing back onto Brego. He snorted at both their weights, but Aragorn spoke softly in elvish and the horse sighed reluctantly before setting off at a fast walk.

"If Fayna stayed put where I left her, we should come across her this afternoon," Aragorn reported. "However, if she wandered off again, let's hope she has found her way to Osgiliath."

They kept that pace for a while, which gave them time to talk. Aragorn inquired in her childhood and Alarain soon found herself relaying the first time she had seen a foal's birth.

"At first I was terrified. I kept asking Eofrec, the breeder, if the mare was hurting. He only told me that she would be fine, and that she was only breathing so hard from excitement." Aragorn raised his eyebrows. "For some years after that, I always started panting when I became excited. One day, when I found out my favourite mare was pregnant, I passed out from breathing so hard. When I finally woke up, they told me I wouldn't be allowed to see the birth before I agreed to stop my excited panting."

Laughing, Aragorn glanced back and grinned. "That would have been most amusing to see," he teased.

Later that day, just past noon, Aragorn pulled Brego to a halt and looked down to the side of the path. There, lying right where he'd left it, was Fayna's tack. However, there was no sign of the horse. They exchanged a glance before he kicked Brego on.

"We can send someone to recover that once we reach the city." One of his hands rested on the arm that she had around his waist. "Don't worry about her," he soothed. "She's a smart horse."

She was worried though, and what made it worse was the pain that crept into her arm as her thoughts drifted. All of a sudden, it shot down into her fingertips, leaving them tingling uncomfortably. Alarain let out a quiet moan as the feeling faded and Aragorn looked back at her face, worry in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" His voice was commanding and she didn't dare lie.

"It's my arm," she sighed, removing it from his middle to roll up the sleeve. "It has been hurting on and off for a while, but it's getting worse."

His eyes didn't leave her for a long moment, and she was glad that Brego was smart enough to stay on the path without instructions; otherwise he would be walking right towards the Anduin. "We have to get you to Gandalf," Aragorn mumbled, turning his attention back to the road and urging the horse faster.

As they picked up speed to a canter, Alarain turned down to her arm with a scowl. She didn't understand why it was becoming worse. She just wanted it gone. Her thoughts strayed back to Fayna, and then Brenir. She missed the goofy mutt and was glad that she was going to see him again after all. He must have been at least eight or nine years old. If she had left, he would probably have died long before she ever returned to the white city.

Before she could utter another cry, the hand print shot another wave of pain through her entire body and she went limp, her eyes falling shut as she almost slipped off the horse.

The next time she woke, it was dark. Expecting to be curled up beside a campfire, she was startled at the steady movement beneath her. Aragorn felt her wake and tightened his grip on her. Looking down, she finally realized they were still on a horse.

"How are you feeling?" Aragorn's voice asked in her ear. Her only answer was a groan. He laughed quietly and kissed her cheek as she turned to look at him. "Have you even noticed who we're riding?"

Alarain looked back down and her eyebrows rose at the sight of a much brighter bay than Brego. A smile crept onto her face. "Fayna," she whispered, reaching down to stroke the mare's neck. "You found her." She glanced back to see Brego walking at their side.

"Actually, she found us. I wouldn't have seen her had she not come bursting out of the woods," Aragorn smiled before continuing. "After you went unconscious, I decided to ride on through the night. That's when she found us and I thought I'd give Brego a break." He paused and Alarain turned her head to look at him. "Alarain, do you know why you blacked out?"

She shook her head. "I wish I did."

"It's possible you've just lost a lot of blood, but I think it may be more serious." Aragorn's face hardened and she wished she knew what he was thinking. Letting out a sigh, he met her gaze and smiled. "Think nothing more of it," he ordered. "Sleep."

Rolling her eyes at him, she looked forward and rested her head back on his chest. Her eyelids fell quickly, and her last thought was how nice it was to have someone like Aragorn to rely on.

After a few more days on the road, both Alarain and Aragorn were relieved when Osgiliath came into view through the trees. She had no more pains from the hand and had not blacked out again, though she could still see the worry that clouded Aragorn's mind in every step he took.

Brego and Fayna were taken away as soon as their feet touched the ground and Alarain watched them with a frown. She was so worried about the horses that she didn't notice when she was lead into a room and made to lie down. Her thoughts were elsewhere as a healer tended her wounds and she didn't even pay attention to the stinging as the woman cleaned the scar across her eye. When she was finally alone again, Alarain let her mind wander and gave in to her exhaustion.

The sound of voices outside woke her and she winced as she opened her eyes. Feeling closed in under the stone ceiling, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, if you could call it that. It was really more of a stone with a sack over it. Getting stiffly to her feet, she stumbled to the entrance and peeked out. There were a few soldiers nearby, but they were busy laughing and drinking as they celebrated the victory.

The victory was not something she had thought about much. Sure, she was happy about it, but her mind was always elsewhere. It confused her sometimes, that she seemed so neutral about the defeat of Sauron.

Slipping out and into the shadows of some rubble, Alarain crept away from the group of men, no doubt put there to make sure she stayed in bed, and wandered to the edge of the river. She slumped to the ground and stared up at the stars for a while. Osgiliath had not seen the stars for a long time since Sauron's power had begun to rise. The smoke from Mordor had clouded the sky, but now that smoke was gone, the moon cast its light upon the ruined city once more, a sign of hope coming from its glow.

Alarain's mind did not stay on that light subject for long though, and she soon scowled down at her arm. It had caused so much trouble in the past, but it had also done some good. She had used its power to save Boromir, and to heal herself and Merry. Still, she could not shake the feeling of anger when she looked at it.

Trying to distract herself from her sudden change of mood, she thought again of Brenir, which soon made her think of Eowyn. Alarain hoped her friend was doing better than when she'd left. She knew that Eowyn had been ill for a while after fighting the Witch-king, and she only hoped that Brenir was keeping her company, especially now that she had lost her uncle, Theoden, as well.

Theoden. Rohan had lost its king. Alarain's opinion of Rohan was still changing. She had grown up there and therefore it was still in her heart, but the news of her real past had confused her. If she was a Dunedain, then what was Rohan? It wasn't her home anymore, but she still had history with it. She still thought of Theoden as her king, and now he was dead. She felt her heart fall. He had been so kind to her, even given her a horse, and now he was dead. He was gone.

A tingling, burning sensation brought her back to reality and she barely had time to think, _not again, _before her eyes closed and she fell unconscious.


	37. Chapter 37

**Hello all! Just so you know, I haven't abandoned this story and I don't plan to. I do plan on taking as long as I like to finish it though. If I don't take my time, I'm worried it will turn out terrible. I hope you don't hate me! :D  
**

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Waking up to the sound of flowing water, Alarain immediately sat up and looked down at her arm. The moon was low in the sky by then and she could barely make out the red hot marks that covered her skin. Quickly, she pulled her sleeve down and scrambled to her feet before finding her way back to her bed.

The guards were all sprawled out in various positions, having drunk themselves to sleep, so she had no trouble slipping back into the makeshift room. For the rest of the night she lay awake, staring at the dull grey ceiling with worry. When the sun rose, she decided to keep the news of her newly acquired burns to herself. Aragorn had enough on his mind already.

"Lady Alarain?" She looked over and blinked the weariness from her eyes to see a man waiting in the entrance. "Lord Aragorn has requested your presence."

Letting out a groan as she rose from the hard bed, she stretched and followed the man out into the light. He led her through the ruins and she couldn't help the smile that grew on her face when she spotted her husband-to-be. He stood next to two horses while he spoke to a group of soldiers. The men stood tall and their eyes were full of pride and wonder. No doubt they were honoured to be speaking with Gondor's heir. As they approached, Alarain's escort bowed low to announce her.

Aragorn walked over and gently put a hand on her shoulder. "How are you feeling this morning?" he asked, keeping their interaction as formal as he could. It would not have been very proper of the heir to run forward and scoop her up in his arms.

"Sore," Alarain smiled lopsidedly before looking past him to the horses. "Are we leaving?"

He nodded and led her to a strong chestnut. "I apologize if you were hoping to stay longer, but I must return to Minas Tirith and you must return to the Houses of Healing."

Rolling her eyes, Alarain whispered so only he could hear her complaints. "But I feel so trapped in there."

He grinned down at her and raised an eyebrow. "Are you refusing a direct order from your king?"

Alarain glared and spoke teasingly. "Don't get ahead of yourself. You're not the king yet."

Before the soldiers could begin to wonder why they were speaking so quietly to each other, Aragorn helped her up onto the stallion and swung into the saddle of the other horse. His steed danced beneath him and the men bowed as they passed.

Alarain turned her horse and trotted to his side. "Where are Fayna and Brego?" she asked, still worried for their horses. They had both been in rough shape and she was dying to know of their condition.

Aragorn looked over with a soft gaze. "They are to stay here until they're strong again. I checked on them earlier this morning and they were both sleeping." At the sight of a frown on her face, he continued. "They will recover in no time at all, Alarain. I know Fayna is special, not only because of her loyalty, but because of who gave her to you." He glanced around and seeing no soldiers, reached over to rest his hand on hers. "I share your worry as I feel the same about Brego."

Her face relaxed at his words and she looked to the ground. "Are you sure they'll be fine…?"

"Yes."

Rolling her eyes at his interruption, she kicked her horse into canter as they reached the Pelennor Fields and spun her head back to see him do the same. As he drew up beside her, she turned again to gaze up at the White City as it rose from the ground.

"Who has been in charge while you were gone?" she asked loudly over the blustering wind in her ears.

"Mostly Boromir," Aragorn yelled back. "And Gandalf when needed."

The two she'd once thought were gone. Her mind suddenly took her back to the day she had saved Boromir's life. She could almost hear the deep, malicious voice of Saruman in her ears as he ordered her to kill her friend.

The agony gripped at her heart as a pang as hot as fire shot up to her shoulder. Alarain's vision dimmed at the edges and went black. She didn't feel the ground as it came up to meet her, nor did she hear the terror Aragorn's desperate call.

The first thing that came to her senses when she woke was the smell of strawberries. Her eyes opened painfully so she closed them again and listened for voices. All was quiet though, and she moved her fingers to feel a blanket lain out on top of her. Twisting her head and opening her eyes once more, Alarain spotted a dish of strawberries on the table next to the bed. When she finally looked around through her squinting eyes, she let out a moan. She was in the Houses of Healing.

She was startled when a healer came through the door, but closed her eyes again quickly, recognizing the woman from her previous time there. Kneeling by the bed, the healer proceeded in checking Alarain's wounds and cleaning them with some sort of stinging substance.

Hissing in pain, Alarain grumbled. "That hurts."

The woman's answered with a soft smile. "I'm sorry milady, but it will feel better in a moment." Sure enough, the aching subsided.

"Where's Aragorn?" Her mouth was dry as she spoke and she soon felt the edge of a cup at her lips.

"Drink," the healer ordered, helping her to hold it still. "Lord Aragorn was here earlier. You should be honoured that he came to see you at all, what with his duties as the new heir."

Alarain's eyebrows drew together in an irritated look, but she kept her mouth shut. The woman didn't know how close they really were. As she rose to leave, there was a scratching sound at the door. The healer huffed impatiently and rushed over before anyone could enter.

"She has only just woken up," she spoke to whoever was there. "She must rest."

The woman yelped and Alarain looked over curiously. She was suddenly pushed aside and the door swung open as Brenir came scrambling through. A smile lit up her face as Alarain's dog came leaping onto the bed to wiggle in excitement. Ignoring her aches and pains, she sat up and let him crawl into her lap. The healer muttered something before throwing up her hands and storming out.

"I think we may have upset her," Eowyn's voice came as she closed the door quietly.

They giggled for a moment before Eowyn scowled. "You are injured, so I will not get too angry, but what were you thinking?"

_Oh no,_ Alarain thought. She put on her best innocent look as Eowyn glared daggers at her.

"That's not going to work on me," her friend growled, coming to sit on the side of the bed. "Why did you leave after the battle?" Alarain lowered her eyes to Brenir and scratched his head absently. She didn't really want to admit her fear of loosing Aragorn, but Eowyn had helped her escape and she deserved to know. When she told her, Eowyn's face softened. "You know you should have told him in the first place, don't you? He would have listened." Nodding, Alarain kept her eyes on Brenir. "You two worked it out though?"

Again, Alarain dipped her head, not sure if she should tell her of Aragorn's proposal. _No, I'll keep it a secret for now._ "Thank you for watching out for Brenir," Alarain said, attempting to subtly change the subject.

"Oh!" Eowyn's face lit up. "Speaking of Brenir…"

Alarain's gaze shot up to her friend's face and then glanced back down to her dog. "What? Is he alright?"

"Yes, yes," Eowyn comforted. "It's good news." She paused and Alarain raised her eyebrows impatiently. A grin came over Eowyn's face and she finally broke. "There are going to be little Brenirs running around here soon." Alarain gawked at her and then down at the fuzzy brown lump that was now splayed across her legs. Eowyn laughed at her expression and explained. "He seems to have formed an attachment to a stray that hangs out in the street nearby. I have since brought her inside and she's been staying with me as well. Faramir helped me name her and we decided on Erebith."

"Hold on," Alarain interrupted. "Faramir?"

The other woman looked away, pretending to be interested in the window. "Yes. He's Boromir's brother."

"I know who he is," she grinned at Eowyn, noticing how the other woman tried to hide her face.

Eowyn looked back and her expression grew confused at Alarain's smirk. "What?" she asked, her voice irritated.

Shaking her head, Alarain looked away as she ran her fingers through Brenir's brown fur. "Nothing at all," she replied innocently.

Eowyn sighed and got to her feet. "I must go and..."

"Meet Faramir?" Alarain was met with a glare before Eowyn turned and exited the room. "Have a nice time," she called out teasingly as the door swung shut. "She's very touchy, isn't she?" Brenir didn't answer. "So who's this Erebith I hear of?"

It was four days later when Alarain was finally allowed to leave her room. She was told very sternly that she was not to leave the Houses and was only allowed to wander in the gardens for a short time so as not to wear herself out.

The garden was beautiful. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and Alarain finally breathed in the cool air that she missed when she was stuck inside. Brenir joined her, and was soon frolicking among the bushes, knocking over pots here and there. Alarain grinned as he tried to chase a bird up a tree and promptly fell on his rump. Giving himself an embarrassed shake, he slunk off into the flowers to pout. She rolled her eyes and went to stand looking over the city.

"Alarain?" Turning at the voice, Alarain grinned as an old friend came into view. Hurrying forward with a grin nearly as big as his face, Boromir wrapped his arms around her as gently as he could in his joy. Stepping back, he narrowed his eyes. "You, milady, are in trouble. As soon as you are better, I promise that I am going to hang you upside down from a tree until your head fills with blood so much it turns red."

She rolled her eyes and smiled teasingly. "Pardon me, milord, but I don't believe you would be able to get me up a tree in the first place."

Boromir grinned and turned to gesture back up the path. "Is that not what an elf is good for?"

Legolas came humming around the corner to greet her rather more properly than Boromir had. He bowed low and straightened to grin down at her. "Milady, I do believe the last time we met in a garden as beautiful as this I made you turn red without even having to hang you upside down."

Crossing her arms, Alarain sent him a glare. "I also seem to remember telling you that I'm not a Lady."

The two men exchanged a glance. "Not to spoil your fun, _milady_, but we aren't daft," Boromir smirked. He walked around her to gaze out at the White City before turning to speak low in her ear. "We saw Aragorn speaking to a man who just happens to be the best person to talk to when one is looking for a ring."

Alarain felt her cheeks grow hot and glanced at the ground as they snickered to each other. Legolas crossed his arms as well and grinned. "It won't be long until everyone is referring to you as 'milady', Alarain."

The three talked for a few more moments, Alarain quickly changing the subject, but Legolas was soon called away for some reason or another.

"I asked my brother to meet me here," Boromir said, looking back out to the great walls of Mordor in the distance. She went to stand beside him as he continued. "He's excited to meet the woman who saved my life, a little too excited in my opinion." He gave her a playful nudge. "I'll have to make sure he doesn't go getting ideas."

Rolling her eyes and giving him a shove back, she answered, "I don't believe you have to worry about that. From what I've heard, there's someone else he's got his eyes on."

Boromir looked over curiously, but his expression changed in an instant. "Oh yes," he grinned. "Eowyn. I'm not surprised. I am a little disappointed though." When Alarain sent him a surprised look, he laughed. "I'm disappointed that I wasn't the one to introduce them."

It was not long before Faramir arrived. Alarain grinned at the proud look on Boromir's face when he saw his little brother. Faramir was just as Boromir had described him, quiet, polite, smart, and cheerful. She had been a little worried about meeting him as she was still feeling self conscious of the scar across her eye, but after a few minutes, she relaxed completely.

The brothers had other duties though, so they didn't stay long. Alarain enjoyed the company after her lonely days in the Houses of Healing and was sad to see them go, even more so when a healer came to bring her back inside.

With one more quick glance out at the world, Alarain felt her heart grow heavy. It finally dawned on her that their journey was over. A new chapter in her life was beginning... and it involved finding out about this new dog that was taking up so much of Brenir's time.

* * *

**Kind of an odd place to end the chapter, but I couldn't think of anything better.**


End file.
